Saved
by JadenTheFangirl
Summary: I have no way to explain this shortly, so, About OC x S. Reid and they're relationship and struggles. Btr than it sounds, sorry. Rated T for some violence and cuzzing.
1. The Killer and The Dreams

[Ok, so, i'm really messing my self up here, lol, adding yet another fanfic, when i still ahve unfinished ones, but i couldnt help it. i wanted to add this to see what people thought, so, yeah. this is my first Criminal Minds fanfic. Of cours, i have an OC. And you'll just have to learn about her and what going on by reading. hope you enjoy! please review!^^ I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM THE CRIMINAL MINDS SHOW, ONLY MY CHARACTERS, NOT THEIRS! and please, if i've made in spelling mistakes or anything, please tell me and i'll go over it.]

The Killer and The Dreams

Well, work sure didn't distract me from my dreams for long…

I hurried to my car, hoping that driving would help me focus on other things. God, I wish the dreams would stop or…no, I doubt that'd happen any time soon. I sighed. All I could do for now was enjoy the dreams, 'cause from what I've from being in the little bit of contact with his mother, he's successful now and it would probably be impossible to see him, since he so busy.

I started my car then, driving straight home and keeping my mind on driving as I did so. Once I was finally home, I got out of my car, absently saying "Hi" to a neighbor.

"Alice!"

I stopped, just at my door, about to go in. "Yes?" I wasn't used to Ms. Darcy wanting to say much when I got home (if she was out there), especially when she was tending to her garden.

"Have you seen the news lately?" she seemed just a bit crazy, like she hoped I had.

"Um, no. I don't really watch the news much, except for the weather…sometimes. Why?" I was going through my keys, finding the one for my door and then waiting.

"They were talking about a killer."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. There's never been any killers around here before. At least, not while I've been here. "Well, how many people has the person killed?"

"Four or five so far, maybe six, I can't remember…" she said, but then she blurted something out before I could head inside. "It's mostly women and they all have something in common."

"What?"

"Their hair." She said. "They almost always have bleached or deid hair. You need to watch out for yourself."

I wasn't sure if she was telling the truth because, one, she sometimes comes up with weird stories and, two, I ran over her flowers once, on a bike and she's had an unsuccessfully hidden grudge toward me since and I thought she was just trying to scare me. So, I just nodded, said, "Ok, I will. Thank you." and headed inside, locking the door.

I plopped down on the couch for a moment, letting things run through my mind. Until HE started running through it, and then I decided it was time for lunch.

I put some chicken in the oven and went to watch TV. Continuously, my mind trailed to HIM. I felt stupid, thinking of him too much. I always had the dreams, every few days in week. I shook my head. Either, I was obsessed with him and it wouldn't go away until I saw him one more time or, I just really like him. Always have since we became friends, always will.

God, I was so stupid. I decided to keep it on 'Charmed' as I waited for my chicken. I liked this show; it was pretty cool and funny. Once my food was done, I brought it into my living room. And then, once the 'Charmed' episode was over, I started to wonder…was Ms. Darcy lying? I mean, it's extremely possible she was lying to spook me, but what if she wasn't?

I turned it to the news. It was sports right now, but they said next they had an important announcement. So, I just waited, becoming bored because one, I don't really like any sports anymore so I don't know much about any of them, and two, my belief of Ms. Darcy's warning was wearing off.

But, once the warning announcement began, I was watching it. A blond woman was talking to the press, all the people taking pictures. There were two people right behind her. One was a dark-skinned, rather handsome guy looking almost like a body-guard. The other was a tall, lanky, skinny guy with wavy brown hair to his ears. He was wearing glasses…he…looks familiar…

"Ok. We would like to warn the people of this town of a serial killer in the area." Ok, I guess she was telling the truth. "He has killed thirteen women in the past half year and we think we may finally be getting closer to catching him, but that does not mean you should be careless. What we know of this man so far is he is a white male, around his late thirties or early forties. We think that he is quiet; he probably won't talk much unless he needs to. He has some kind of build on him, either a body builder or just a big man; he's strong. And with that and the fact that he gets to his victims easily, we think he could be a handy-man of some sort. He will wait for you to call him for repairs and then take you. So, please, do not call for any repairs until we are sure he is caught." Ok, so I just have to keep myself from breaking anything in the house for a while. "And also (this is very important to all you women), he is going after women, mostly with bleached or dyed hair. So, any women out there who fit this bit of description, please, take caution. Dye your hair back if you need to, we don't want anyone else becoming victims." And I need to go dye my bleached blond streaks back to brown. "Now, if anyone has seen a man who fits this description at all-if you have any real information on this man, please call this number." And a number appeared on the screen. I hurriedly wrote it down and then turned back to the screen. The two men behind her started to walk ahead of her slowly as she said, "One of our agents will take your call and any information you need to give them. Thank you. Please, take care." She nodded to the camera as everyone began to crowd her and followed the men, half answering the questions of the press.

Ok, so Ms. Darcy wasn't lying. There's a killer hanging around town, he's targeting women, mostly with different hair styles. And he kidnaps them...don't really want to know what he does to them.... Well, first thing tomorrow? Go dye my hair. Also, I need to start setting my burglar alarm at night and when I leave.

I sat there for a while, shocked and kind of freaked. I took a few deep breaths and told myself, _If I don't worry, everything'll be fine. Anyways, what's the chance that I'd run into the guy?_ But, I still wondered who that guy was…

Anyways, I spent the rest of the day thinking of things other than my dreams, as always. I was thinking of my patients for tomorrow. A girl around the age of fifteen or sixteen, I can't remember, was doing drugs and drinking. Her friend was the one who suggested her to go to counseling, because she cared for her friend and feared for her safety. Man, doesn't that sound familiar…

Ok, well, at least it won't take long.

So, I mostly focused on what I'd say to that girl. It shouldn't be hard for me…Once I was done thinking it over, I made a quick dinner, ate and then got ready for bed.

I took a shower, taking my time. Brushed my hair, then my teeth, still taking my time. Only because I didn't want to face the dreams tonight. I mean, when I was asleep, I enjoyed them. The unconscious part of me- the part of me that missed him enjoyed his visits into my mind, back to how we used to be. But, the conscious part of me hated the fact that I could only see him in my dreams and always young, never in real life and how he is now.

I got to bed, in my red, soft pajamas, and was sitting up with my covers on my legs. I was taking long, deep breaths, trying to clear my mind and hoping to get to sleep fast. Once my mind was clear enough, I started my night music. A collection of my favorite songs by my favorite bands and/or groups (like evanescence, linkin park and nickleback) played like an orchestra.

My mind got very close to trailing off to him, but I went under before I could really take to my thoughts.

But, of course, I did dream about him. And of course, my dream started where…well, where everything began.

I was hiding behind the fence of my not-well-known-yet neighbors. I couldn't risk hiding behind the fence of the back yard of my own house. And what was I doing there, you ask? Well, what do teenage kids do when they feel they're being ignored-if they feel neglected by their parents? If they feel they're parents hate them, even resent them? They do the one thing that would make their parents mad and show them at least a shred of attention. Drink and smoke anything that would make them feel better and that would piss their parents off.

But, stupidly, I was making a little bit too much noise coughing from the smoke. I wasn't completely used to it yet. And, every time I coughed, I down a shot of something I wasn't sure what it was. Just something my parents had around that they wouldn't miss, since they had five more bottles of it.

"Hello?" I heard a boyish voice ask from over the fence.

I covered my mouth, trying to stop, but it was only muffled.

"Is someone back there?" whoever that guy was beginning to open gate/door thing in the fence and I was stupid and didn't hurry to jump back over to my side. I dropped everything behind me, pushing my book bag on top of it. "Hey, you're from the Helms house beside us, right? You're their daughter?"

I sighed and grimaced, wishing I wasn't their daughter. "Yeah…and, I better get back over to my house right beside yours." I turned around, trying to keep him from seeing everything I had here. What if he was a spoiled brat who enjoys tattle-telling?

I had just finished putting everything in and I was heading to the fence and barely over it when the guy cleared his throat. I turned to see a white, rectangular box in his hand, which was half crushed. I froze for a moment, not breathing. Great, just great! Then I swallowed hard and jumped down.

I walked up to him, stood there for a second, watching his face to try and figure out what he was thinking. He…he looked at the box with a look of what seemed like pity, and then he looked at me the same way. I glared, not waning pity, and I took the pack from him and turned.

"Six minutes." He said right as I was about to climb over again.

I sighed and turned. "What did you say?"

"I said 'Six minutes.'" He said, still looking at me the same.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, nothing much." He began quickly and continued quickly, explaining. "It's just something I tell my mom every time she smokes a cigarette, to get her to stop. 'That's six minutes less that I get to spend with you.' So, that's six minutes less that you can spend with your family."

I laughed. "Well, if I lose six minutes of time with my family each time I smoke, that won't make me stop." God, what I wouldn't pay just to be able to leave!

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way."

I laughed again. My laughs, lately, have been mostly humorless, like this one. "Yeah? Well, I'm sorry you're the only one sorry about that…" and I stuffed the pack in my bag and climbed over the fence, back to my house, leaving the boy behind.

Why'd he care, anyways, huh? I don't know him and he doesn't know me! God, leave me alone! Just everyone, leave me alone!

* * *

Well, after that cheerful dream, I forced myself to face the next day, no matter how much I didn't want to. The only thing good about that dream is that I can freshly relate to who I'm counseling today.


	2. Counseling

[Ok, here's another chapter, I hope you like it. Tell me if I have any mistakes, please, in a review. I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING IN CRIMINAL MINDS OTHER THAN MY CHARACTERS! Please enjoy and review^^]

"Did you see the news?!" Ms. Darcy asked from the porch, surprising me (actually, making me sh** my pants).

"Uh, y-yeah. I did." I told her as I was walking to my car. Though, she creeps me out sometimes and she seems to hate me, I had to hand it to her, she tried to help. "Um, thank you. For telling me, Ms. Darcy."

She smiled at me and nodded.

With that, I got in my car and headed off. As I drove, I thought of what I'd say again. Well, first, I need to find out her reason for why she does what she does. Then, I'll work from there. And, if I don't have any more kids after that, I need to go straight to the hair salon and change my hair back.

Once I got there, I headed to my office, putting my bottle of water on the table, turning my cell off and waiting.

Then there was a knock at the door and I straightened up, having been lying back in my chair, eyes closed and beginning to day dream about my dream from last night. "Come in."

The door opened and the girl from before, the friend, walked in first, but then opened the door all the way and grabbed the arm of a girl standing stiffly there, watching the floor. The friend had black hair in a braid and the girl had brown hair that seemed quickly brushed, not perfect. She tried to stay where she was standing, but her friend pulled her in and sat her down as she continued to glare downward. For a moment they just sat there, mostly quiet, other than the friend whispering to the girl.

Then the friend looked at me with a sorry look. "Um, I apologize…she's not totally happy about coming here…"

"It's fine, I can wait." I told her calmly and the girl looked up at me real quick, only to look back down.

"Please, Sara. Just talk to her…" I heard the friend, the black haired girl, whisper.

"Why?" she whispered back hoarsely. "So she can tell me that I shouldn't be doing this? That I'm stupid? That I'm killing myself?! I hear it enough from you and my parents!"

"Please, Sara, we just care about you!" The friend told her and she was near tears. "Please, this lady will help you. All you have to do is talk and listen."

The girl laughed and shook her head.

"Actually, she's wrong." I said and both of their heads snapped up.

"What do you mean?" the girl asked, her head still down, but she was half looking up at me, curious.

"All you have to do is listen. I'll ask you questions and you can mostly just nod your head for yes, or shake your head for no. If you feel the need to talk, you can. That's totally fine, but I'm not going to make you talk if you don't want to. Trust me, I know how this feels."

She laughed again and I thought of myself in the dream. It was the same, humorless, pissed off and don't care, kind of laugh. "Yeah, ok. You've gotta be some spoiled brat who got everything she wanted and thought she'd brag about how great and better she is to all the messed up, poor kids who come to her for guidance. You have no idea how this feels." Now, she was glaring at me.

I laughed and said, "Really? You believe that?" I sounded totally calm.

She leaned back in her chair, still glaring, and crossed her arms, waiting.

I started with the thing I thought may be main reason. "You feel totally alone."

She fidgeted in her chair, acting like she was trying to find a comfortable position to sit in, but I know that had hit a bit of a nerve.

"You feel…well, obviously, you feel like no one could possibly understand you. For some reason, you feel like this is the only way to happiness or the only way out or…like a safe haven. There's some personal reason, something happening in your life that makes you so mad, or sad and you started doing whatever you did (whether it be drinking or drugs) to escape it because you just couldn't take it anymore. For you, it's so…calm, free and safe when you're 'doing'. You feel like you're in a world where nothing matters and everything's ok and you can do anything. But, when you're not 'doing', everything turns back to black and white. Anything and everything matters. Everyone around you is either angry, sorry, scared, or disgusted because of what you're doing and you hate that. So you do it more. And throughout the time you've done all these things just for escape, you've began to lose yourself… And now you feel, if you stop doing it, you'll be nothing. You'll have nothing, but you also are starting to realize you're becoming nothing because of what you do. And now, you're lost and angry and depressed and scared and you just can't stop. That's why you have a flask of something hidden in that jacket of yours." And I felt satisfied, in a way, when she went still. Her arms were no longer just crossed across her chest; she was holding herself. Her glare had faded slightly, now a sad, depressed grimace and I could see she was holding tears back hard.

Her friend just kept watching her, tears already overflowing. All she was, was worried and scared for her best friend. She seemed to be one of those kids who would say it was wrong and try and get their friends to stop, but only because they care, not because they're ashamed. All she wanted was her friend safe and better and she'd do anything for her.

"So, you still think I'm a successful, spoiled brat who got everything when she was young and wants to brag to you and would never understand you? Or would you like to answer a few questions in whatever way you'd like?" my voice still stayed gentle and calm. And, as I saw how the look on this girl, Sara's, face changed, I felt happy. She didn't look all too happy yet, but she seemed like some of her walls were being lowered and she was ready to let someone in.

What sucks about this girl, is that she brings HIM back to my mind. She's like me. I can see myself in her. And I'm HIM. I almost wanted to laugh. He's the reason I have this job! Not in a financial way, but, in a choice way. He helped me and showed me a better life and now I know I want to do the same for others.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

She watched me for a moment, not sure if she was. But, with a comforting rub on the arm from her friend and a deep breath in, she nodded.

"Ok then." I smiled at her and I saw the tiniest of smiles back.

* * *

Well, I wasn't able to do everything for her today, but at least I got her to see she still had a chance and always will. She said she might come back tomorrow and I knew she would, because she smiled that small smile when she said it. She wouldn't smile if she wasn't coming back.

As I said good-bye to her and her friend and gave them my number, I felt pretty happy with myself for guessing one thing.

The flask in her jacket.

I didn't actually know if it was in there or not, I just knew she shouldn't be wearing a bit of a thick jacket like that at this time, its summer. She had slipped it to me while her friend got some waters before they left…she didn't want her friend to see it…she knew that her friend was her only real friend and she's the only person she feels she's disappointed and is guilty for.

She says her parents and her brother do not care much for her, they're just angry. But, by how she described them, I couldn't believe her. I didn't say anything about disagreeing with her, I knew that'd anger her. But, I told her that, they may not talk much to her or do anything with her right now, but she shouldn't stop hoping for a change.

I was getting in my car now, waving.

They were just about to leave, but Sara's friend (Tonya's her name) came up to the side of my car as Sara went ahead.

"Yeah?" I said as she stopped by me.

She was quiet and watching me. She had been that way before she had come up to me and asked for help. The look on her face, before, had been one of confusion and like she was lost and in need of help. Now, it was one of great gratitude and I could almost see it radiating from her.

"I…just wanted to say……" she swallowed hard and I saw just one tear roll down her cheek. "Thank you…so much. You have no idea what this means to me, to know my friend will be safe again soon."

"Trust me…" I said and had a quick flash back of the boy in my dream being beaten by other boys and then me jumping at them, getting in their way or jumping on top of them to stop them. "I know…And you're very welcome."

She smiled and nodded and then hurried off after Sara.

I shut the door to my car, smiled for a moment, feeling good. Then I started my car and headed to town.

Now that my mind was away from work, it had strayed back to what I had watched last night and I remembered I needed to dye my hair back. So, I went straight to the store and bought what I thought was close enough to my natural hair color and headed to a register, only to bump into someone with my clumsy self.

I sighed, having fallen on my butt and a knocked mine stuff and this persons. I moved onto my knees and started picking things up, saying, "Sorry about that. I just don't watch where I'm going sometimes." I looked up at the guy and froze for only a moment, shocked by the look of the man. Then I began breathing again, swallowed and stood, handing him his stuff with a nervous laugh.

"It's fine." He grunted and then just started at me, freaking me out and keeping me in his gaze, frozen again. This guy was big, rounded. He wore jeans, boots, a white t-shirt and an open vest that said, 'Jack's Handy-work' and then a name-tag that said Jack. He had tattoo's all over his arms and a bit on his head. Couldn't tell and didn't want to be able to tell if he had any on his chest. He…just kept staring at me.

Feeling a chill run down my spine, I swallowed, smiled my best fake smile, and walked to the register as calmly as I could. As the guy at the counter ringed up my item, I was looking at one of those round mirror things they have in stores sometimes and saw the guy, still in the same place and staring. After I bought my stuff and looked back up, I saw he was gone and walked calmly, again, out of the store and to my car, rolling up windows, no matter how hot it was.

Once I was safe in my car, I started it and began driving, trying not to go too far, but sure as hell not going safe and slow.

Could…could that have been the killer?! I wasn't sure if it was, but I'm not stupid enough to shake that off and say to myself, "No way, that can't be him!" There's a reason I shivered in that guys presence, and it wasn't because any coldness.

I took long and complicated roads to my house, and stopping at one place, my car hiding behind the building. I had waited there for a few minutes, my car off and me listening as I heard what sounded like a truck pulling in on the other of the gas station building. I had quietly got out of my car and sneakily looked around the building and into the truck. No one was in there or out around it, so u hurried back to my car and started it, driving out slowly until I was far enough away from the gas station, then hurried off, not looking back.

Once I was home, I parked my car in the garage this time, shut and locked the door and then turned on my burglar alarm. I've never turned it on. Yeah, I bought it, but I've never turned it on, used it, because I've never heard of anything as bad as a killer being around here.

After sitting down and taking deep breaths to calm myself, I stood and looked for that number. I know it may be kind of stupid to call if I'm not totally sure if it's him, but…he just didn't feel right…so, I found the paper with the number and got my cell and called. I stood there, my foot tapping as it beeped and beeped. And then my stomach froze as a familiar, yet older sounding, boyish voice said, "Uh, hi, this is, um, Spencer Reid. I either can't come to the phone, I have missed your call, my phone is dead or I can't answer at the moment. So, um, well, leave a message after the beep!" and then there was a beep.

But I didn't say anything, I hung up the phone fast…No way. After I regained my breath, I called again and left a stuttered message saying that I think I may have run into the killer, but I'm not sure. I headed to my room, since my phone was on one bar, about to die, and plugged it up. I sat down on the bed thinking, _no way…._

I shook my head, feeling stupid for being so surprised and then hanging up…I sighed and headed out to go bath before bed. I took my time, the shower calming me. Once I was out and dry, I went and made me a quick lunch/dinner. And why was I going to sleep, earlier then usual?

For once, I really wanted to visit my dreams. I'm happy about it when I'm asleep, but when I'm awake, I'm too busy wishing and I don't feel like wishing right now, I feel like escaping to place where I can see him again.

So, I finished eating and went off to bed, turning on my music and getting ready for bed and then climbing in. I curled into a ball, closing my eyes and clearing my mind. A minute later and I fall under.

* * *

"H-hey!" I called out, walking down the side walk. It was that boy, the Reid boy who lived beside me.

He turned, curious and surprised-looking. "Yeah?"

I waited until I was right next to him, I didn't want anyone to hear me. I took a breath, my glare back again. "…Did…did you…tell..anyone…what you picked up?"

The curious look on his face faded and a impish, uncomfortable smile appeared. "No."

"Are you telling the truth? Because if you told anyone-"

"I didn't tell anyone." He told me simply. He straightened the glasses he was wearing and said, "It's…not really my business to talk about."

I took a breath and then nodded. I looked away when I said, "Thanks."

"No problem." He said simply with a smile and I almost wanted to smile back, but then I remembered this guy knows what I do. I hold grudges sometimes… "So, do go to school around here? I've never seen you around."

"Um, no…I, uh…" he cleared his throat, seeming to blush slightly. "I…graduated…when I was twelve…"

"You're kidding." I said. No way this guy had graduated at twelve!

"Nope."

"Well, you must be some kind of genius then." I said with a laugh. I mean, graduating at twelve? No way.

"I wouldn't say I was a genius, but I do have an eidetic memory, I can read 20,000 words per minute and I have a IQ of 187." He said and then became uncomfortable as I stared at him.

"And that doesn't count as being a genius?" I laughed.

He shrugged, rocking on the balls of his feet.

It was quiet for a moment, so I decided it was time to go if…well, if I was going to sneak a drink at the right time. "Well, I gotta go, so see ya, Spock." I sat, giving him a pat on the arm and then walked away, laughing at the look on his face.


	3. Help

[Ok, this was longer than the last two, but I wasn't sure if there was a place where I could half this, so I decided not to, so, here it is! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING IN CRIMINAL MINDS OTHER THAN MY CHARACTERS! Please enjoy and review^^]

That was the first memory in my dream, but then it traveled to another.

* * *

I was sitting on my porch, thinking about if I should sneak a drink or a pack of smokes again, since I was out, when I heard guys laughing. I looked up to see some guys in a car, following that Reid dude and yelling stuff at him and throwing stuff. He just kept his head down, walking fast and telling them to stop.

I stood, but then stopped, not knowing what I was doing. I barely knew the guy, why should i-

"How'd you're psycho mom take it when she found out what happened up at the school, freak?!" the guy driving asked, a big smile on his face.

I looked at the Reid dude and saw his face was really red now and…there was something shining on his cheek. "Leave me alone…" he said.

"Aw, did your mommy laugh when you told her you were naked? Or did she just not care?"

"Hey!"

The boys stopped their car and looked at me as I walked up beside the Reid boy and the car. "What you want, chicky?"

"My names not chicky, dufus, and I want to know what's your deal?" I told him, annoyed. God, I hate guys like this.

"What do mean?" he said with a smile that made me want to smack him.

"Why are you messing with this guy?" I waved to the Reid boy.

They all laughed. " Just 'cause."

"What, you guys can't put your heads together and come up with a good enough reason other then 'Just 'cause'?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" one of them asked.

"If you don't even realize what it means, I'm not telling you." I laughed.

"Well, go mind your own business, missy. This is between us and the freak."

"Don't worry, just go….I'll be fine." The Reid boy told me with a weak, forced smile.

"See?" the guy driving say with that annoying smile. "He's fine…we just need to show him a lil lesson."

"For what? Did he do anything to you?"

"The guys a freak!" he exclaimed with a laugh. "No one knows as much as him at his age!"

"Oh, so, just because you guys wouldn't have nowhere near the same brains as him even if you put your heads together, you think he's a freak?" I said in a rushed, amused voice. Then I changed my voice to sound like I was talking to a child, pronouncing everything slowly. "No, guys, you see; that doesn't make him a freak, that just makes you unbelievably retarded."

That made the driver stop his car and jump out, the others doing the same, but not moving. They just stayed on the other side of the car.

"You better take that back, little missy. You give us attitude and you WILL regret it."

"What you gonna do?" I said.

"Trust me, sweety." He said, now stepping closer to me. Close enough that I could feel his breath and he got in my face. "I can dig up so much dirt on you, you'd be using the whole as a grave to escape to." Just then, he put his hand on the back of my neck. "Or…I could do other things…"

"Leave her alone." The Reid boy said. He seemed scared for me, but he couldn't do anything. I could tell he knew that, he was to skinny and frail looking to be able to really fight unless he needed to.

"Don't worry, they're all talk." I told him, staring at this guy, annoyed.

"Oh, ya think so?" he asked, tightening his grip on my neck.

"Yeah, I think so!" I said, right as I raised my leg fast.

Well, as you can imagine, macho man fell like a rock, clutching himself. I laugh for a moment, until I saw the other boys coming toward me. "You really want to do this, guys? Really?"

This guy swung at me, but I roundhouse kicked him in the stomach and he doubled over to the ground.

I looked to the other guys and they watch me, before they got in the car and waited for their friends to recover their selves.

"Come on, Spock. Lets go." I said to the Reid guy and pushed him lightly forward, toward his house as the guys got in their car. I got a dirty look from macho man before he drove off. We sat down on his porch and he was quiet for a little bit, until he said, "Um, thanks…for that."

"No problem." I smiled at him. he smiled back, but then looked down and then away, towards the houses farther off. "What did they do to you? And why? What, did you beat their wimpy ass brains stupid in a quiz?"

"…I don't know, maybe…" he told me, still not looking at me.

"Are you ok?"

He was quiet and still for a moment, but then he shook his head. But he didn't say anything.

"Look, don't let anything they say get to you, it's nothing. And whatever they did was nothing, you just gotta ignore it, ok?"

"I can't." he said, shaking his head and I thought I saw another tear, though he kept his head facing the other way.

"Why? Dude, I'm sure it's nothing, don't worry about-"

" They tricked me into going to a wide and open space up at the school, stripped me of my clothes and tied me to the goal post on the football field. So, I'm sorry, but I don't think it's really your place to tell me if I should worry about it or not." He said quickly and his face was now very red.

I looked away, feeling sick. "They…they did that to you?" I looked back and he nodded once. I shook my head, sick as sick could be. I mean…what the hell makes people want to do this? "I'm…I….I'm sorry…that that happened to you."

"Yeah, well, my mother having an episode didn't help…."

I just kept quiet because I didn't really know what to say. All I knew was that I wanted to kick those guys asses.

I cleared my throat then, wanting to change the subject. "So, um…what's your name, Spock?"

"…Why do you call me Spock?" he asked and I was happy to see he was slowly retreating from that place.

"Well, he's, like, the smartest guy on Star Trek, isn't he?" I asked, knowing that the bit of knowledge I had on that show had to be mostly right.

"Well, yeah, him and Data. But they're from two different versions of the show. Spock's an alien and Data's a robot and-"

"Does it really matter which smarty pants I refer to you as from Star Trek?" I asked.

"…No."

"Ok. Well, what's your name? Mines Alice."

"I'm…Spencer." He said.

I held out my hand and, after a pause of looking at my hand, he shook it with a small smile.

"Well, you don't mind if I call you Spock sometimes, do ya?"

He smiled. "No, it's fine."

"And, if you want, you can refer to me as crack-head." I laughed. He shook his head. "What? Come on, you know you found that funny."

He shrugged, but smiled. And I couldn't help but smile back…this guy was ok.

* * *

And that was the end of that memory.

* * *

"Alice, it's here! I found it!" Spencer squealed with happiness as he came running to my porch. I hurriedly put out a cigarette I was smoking as he came up to me. He caught sight of it, but tried not to take notice. He was so excited about whatever he had found.

I cleared my throat and asked, "Uh, w-what?"

"Remember when you were talking about wanting to see Star Trek: the Wrath of Khan?!" he said fast.

"Uh…" I was trying to think, and then remember a few days ago. It was the day after I'd helped him with those guys and we, once again, started a conversation on why I call him Spock. We ended up talking about how cool he is. I've only see a few episodes, but I think he rocks. And he was telling me I should see the wrath of Khan episode/movie, so I said ok. "Oh, yeah."

"Well, I found it." He said, smiling. "It was in an old box of movies we had in the closet. Man, I haven't seen in this in a while…I almost forgot about it…" he was looking at the cassette in a dreamy way.

"Wait…wasn't that made when we were, like, two? What, did you start watching it when you were four or five?"

He looked up to the sky, thinking for a moment, then looked back at me and nodded. "Yeah, around that time. Why?"

I stared at him for a moment and he got that uncomfortable look. "Nothing." I laughed. "Let's just go watch it."

And, well, I don't know about Spencer, but by the time it got to Spock talking to Kerk in that chamber, I was tearing up like crazy. I kept having to turn my head away to wipe tears away. I half looked at Spencer to see if he was either laughing at me or crying a bit to. He was doing both. He looked at me as he rubbed his eye inside his glasses and then fixed them. I wiped my eye and laughed and so did he. And we just kept laughing.

"Alice?" I heard and my laughing stopped short, like my breath.

My mom and dad had just got home from another date out. She seemed annoyed, like always. "I thought you were staying out tonight with friends…" she said as she put her purse down and dad walked in and went upstairs.

"Well, my imaginary friends y'all showed me to when I was young didn't want to stay out all night in the cold, so they went home. And I wanted to spend time with my real friend" I nodded to Spencer, who waved feebly, feeling the tension. "…I thought you guys were renting a room in a motel…" I looked away, annoyed, watching the end credits.

My mom was quiet and I knew how she was standing and what her face looked like, without even looking at her. Her arms were crossed, her foot was itching to tap with annoyance, and her face was screwed up in anger at my attitude and the interuptance of yet another perfect night for them.

"You know, I'm really getting rather tired of this routine." She said, probably thinking of my attitude.

"Well, by all means, change it." I told her simply. "Take a night off and spend a normal day together and, HEY! I got it! Add me in!" I said, turning to her and looking like I was really happy with the idea I came up with (I can be dangerously sarcastic).

"You are such a selfish little brat sometimes, Alice." She said, shaking her head with annoyance and (like always) disgust.

"Really?" I asked flatly. "Wonder where I get it from…"

"Why are you doing this? Huh?" she seemed really annoyed and almost sounding disappointed. "All me and your father want is to have some time together! We've spent most of our time over the years raising you and your brother! Now he has his own life, he's making his own way! And what are you doing? Your sitting around on your ass!"

I just kept waving toward myself, pretty much saying keep it coming.

"All you do is smoke and drink and who knows what else, never doing anything around the house!"

That made me jump out. "And what do you do?! Do you seriously go out and drink normal drinks all night?! And don't tell me you guys don't smoke, you do it every day!! Where do you think I get everything from!?! And if you are actually going to sit there and say I do nothing but sit on my butt and smoke and drink, then you don't know a thing about me!!! You don't how I'm doing at school! You don't even know that I have my own job!"

She just stood there, acting like this was normal and looking like I had just broken a family heirloom.

"God, I wonder sometimes if I'm even your daughter!"

"I wonder the same too…"

I laughed as tears trailed down my cheeks freely. "Your right. I guess I'm just adopted and you're just a bitch!" I said as I grabbed Spencer's arm and pulled him out of there.

We were beside his house when I stopped, wiping my eyes and looking away.

"I'm…sorry you had to see that." I told him, still not looking at him. "I'll get your movie back to you as soon as they let me back in…" I said with a forced laugh that let loose another pool of tears. God, I couldn't believe I was doing this in front of him.

Just then, he put a hand on my shoulder.

I looked up at him and smiled. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I'm not really like this most of the time…"

"Alice, there's no reason to be ashamed of…of feeling this way. It's perfectly normal, ok? And don't say sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Yes…i…I do. God, I'm such a sorry piece of trash and I just keep making myself worse!" I moved out of his reach and walked over to the side walk, leaving him by his house. I sat down and hugged my legs to my chest. God, I was so stupid and weak! Why was I doing this?! "Stupid, stupid, stupid……I hate…I hate myself…"

"Don't say that, Alice." Spencer sat down beside me just then. "Please, don't."

I couldn't look at him. I just turned my head the other way and watched the rode….my eyes trailed, for only a moment, to my house and I saw a few lights on, but my parents light was off. I laughed roughly. God, of course, I barely dented their mood…

"Alice, don't treat yourself like this, ok?" he said and his hand was on my shoulder again. "Because you're worth more than this…."

And that did it. I broke out in tears, covering my face. I couldn't take it anymore, I just couldn't! Eventually, I ended up leaning on him for comfort, which he gave. My head was on his shoulder as his arm was around my back. As ashamed as I was, usually, at crying in front of people, I let it all out then and he didn't seem to mind. He just kept rubbing my side.

I don't know how and when it actually happened, but I knew me and Spencer had become friends. My only friend, of course, but I wasn't really sure I needed anyone other than this guy.

* * *

And, that was the end of that memory. And it just randomly jumped back and forth between many memories. Me and him at some store looking for Star Trek stuff and squealing excitedly like little kids when we found something and throwing our hands up happily. I don't know how I made him feel, but he made me feel…feel like I was…worth something.

I was now helping him, again, with some stupid boys and even some hoochy, flaunty girls who walked by, talking about what those football guys had done to him. Well, let's just say squealing, wimpy girls are so much more fun to mess with then the guys. And faster. All I had to do was say, "Oh my gosh, a rat!" to one to get her to run.

Even some of the memories of the times when he come out while I was smoking (I'd hurriedly put it out) and just sit as his porch until I came over to just sit with him…each time that happened, I knew that his mother had just had an episode, but I never said anything to him about it and he never talked about it. We just found something else to talk about while she rested.

And I even relived the moments when I had had a bad week with my parents and decided (stupidly) to spend my day alone. And, of course, I came back home drunk of my ass. He would always be there with some food and would sit out with me until I started to get tired, then he'd help me inside to the couch in the living-room, which had become my bed for these occasions.

We were always there for each other and, even though we'd also go through bad times, it always seemed to be enjoyable.

BEEYEEP, BEEYEEP, BEEYEEP!!!

I sat up fast, my alarm clock…well, alarming me (see what I mean about sarcastic?). god, it was so annoying, it was giving me a headache. I hit it hard and lay back down. It didn't stop. I hit it again. It didn't stop. "Damn it…" I groaned and rolled over and looked at the time. It was 2:00 a.m. It wasn't supposed to wake me up until nine o'clock…

Just then, as I realized why the beeping kept going, I heard something that sounded like something between and roar and a grunt of anger and then crashing around the house.

He followed me home.

I jumped out of bed, fully awake now, though I stumbled. I stood and looked around my room… Why? Why had I wanted the room with no window?! I looked at my bathroom door when, all of a sudden, my phone rang.

Shit! His going to hear it! I grabbed it off the charger and opened it, not even thinking of putting it to my ear, just thinking of shutting it up.

But then I faintly heard who was talking on the other end and put it to my ear, heart races for two reasons now.

"Ms. Helms? Hi, are you there?" …it was him. God, why couldn't I talk!?! Why was I so frozen and still?! "Um, I'm sorry for calling so late, but I have just gotten your message describing a man who you thought may be the killer we're looking for and I needed to talk to you to be sure. Are…are you there?"

I thought of one day, back then, when I had went to had in my back yard, in an old tree house and he had said that same thing, the same exact way, when he was looking for me. "Spock."

"What?"

"Spence…Spencer…" I couldn't say anything else. I didn't know why, but I couldn't. It's like everything had gone quiet….until the room by mine sounded as if it had just been broken into.

"Miss, is something wrong?" he asked all business-like. "What was that noise?"

"He's here, Spock, he's here." I said hurriedly in a shamefully frightened voice. I cleared my throat just as the killer banged on my door. I let out a yelp and jumped into my bathroom, opening the closet door in front of it to stop it from being able to open all the way, if the guy could get through it being locked.

Then I started to hear the crashing of my door and my room being torn apart.

"Miss, what's happening?" I heard from my phone and put it to my ear.

"Spencer, the killer's here!" I said. "He's in my room, I'm hiding in my bathroom!" I was trying to stay quiet. Who knows how angry the killer would get if he heard me on the phone with the FBI.

"Ok, Ms., can you tell me where you live? We'll try and get there as fast as we." He said hurriedly and I was just about to tell him when a hard hit on the bathroom door broke the lock and the door opened halfway. Enough for this guy to move his hand in and punch me in the back.

"AH! Damn it, that hurt!" I said. "Spencer, he's at the door, he'll hear me and try harder to break in!" I was talking in the tiniest whisper I could manage, which wasn't much. But at least the guy was making grunting noises that covered up my failed whispers.

"O-ok. I think I know what to do, just stay on the phone miss!" he said, a bit out of breath and I guess he must have just gotten up and was hurrying to do something.

"And stop calling me miss, Spencer, its Alice!"

Dr. Spencer Reid was hurrying off to the computer tech's (Garcia's) 'lair' when he heard this. He stopped only for a moment, and then started running.

"Garcia!" he hollered a few seconds before he came into her room as she was photo-shopping a picture of some handsome guy.

"Yes, what?!" she said in a surprised hurry, minimizing what she was doing. She fixed her glasses and watched red, her cheeks a bit red. "What, what is it?"

"I need you to track a phone number!" he said as he sat down my her. He put the receiver part of his cell to his mouth as he said, "Alice, are you still there?! Alice!"

"Yes, I'm here!" she said and yelped then cursed loudly as there was another bang in the background. "Spencer, he's gonna break in any minute! There's no freaking windows in here and I'm sitting in a tub, what do I do?!"

"You just wait there, ok?! And keep him from coming in at all cost!" he said as he read the number on his cell and wrote down. Then he put it in front of Garcia and said, "Can you track this?!"

"Yeah! As long as whoever has this phone keeps it on, I can give Captain Kerk the coordinates to beam in!" she hurriedly began to type, many thins popping up and beginning to change as they searched for what she out in.

"Alice!" Reid called into the phone.

"Spencer!" Alice called back. "What's going on?!"

"We're tracking your phone so we can get there, ok?! Just keep your phone on! Just keep talking to me!"

"Oh…ok! Damn it!" she said after she yelped from another bang on the door.

"Stop screaming, little missy!" Reid heard a rough voice say and his stomach sank. "I haven't even done anything yet! Open the door!!"

"No, you son of a bitch! And you ain't gonna lay a hand on me!"

"Alice, don't, please!" Reid begged, hearing that. "That'll just provoke or excite him! Garcia?!"

"Reid, baby, it'll take a minute or two for it to find out where she is! I'm trying!"

"Just hurry! Alice, whatever you do, just stay away from him!"

"What do you think I'm doing, playing tag?!" Alice said.

"Just listen to me, ok?!"

"Ok!"

"Garcia!"

"It's still searching Reid!"

Reid was sweating now, worried and impatient. It was bad enough that the killer they were searching for was on the other line and about to kidnap another victim. But the fact that he was about to kidnap one of his best friends from his past (one he now felt guilty for not ever trying to find her and call her) and all he could do was sit in a chair and wait, hoping the killer would take a while to get to her.

There was another loud bang and Reid worried he was about to get to her. "Alice, can you get out of there?! Is there a window or anything? Another door?!"

He heard nothing but Alice's fast breath and the loud pounding in the background, but then she said, "Yes, there's a window! I think I can get through it!"

"Ok!" he said, feeling only inches better. "Just don't hang up, ok?!"

"I won't!" she said and he heard the sound of something sliding open, creaking. And then the pounding faded farther into background as the killer yelled, "Don't even think about it!"

"Alice!"

"I'm fine!" she told him quickly back. He heard soft footsteps and some creaking. "I'm climbing to the other side of the house, I'm on the roof right now!" she was breathing heavily.

"Can you see or hear the killer?"

"I…I don't see him outside yet! Ooof!"

"What was that?!"

"Don't worry, I just jumped down. Damn it, that hurt my foot!"

"Did you jump from the roof?! Are you crazy?!"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Just get out of there before he comes outside! Can you hear him inside?!"

"Uh…" she was quiet, listening. "No, I don't hear anything…"

"Run."

"What?"

"Alice, run, now!"

He heard her feet hitting the ground hard for a few minutes, her breath much more deep and fast. And then he heard her fall.

"Alice!"

"Spencer!" her voice broke and he knew she hadn't fallen…she had been tackled. There was the sound of what sounded like rolling on the ground and grunting. "Get off me!" Alice screamed then.

"Alice, Alice what going on?!"

"You ain't getting away from me, you bitch!" the killer said, angry. "You're coming with me and you're going to pay."

"Leave her alone!" Reid screamed, but he knew he couldn't be heard. Who knew how far they were now from the phone.

"Stop kicking, you little bitch!" the killer yelled angrily again.

"Ah, no! Get off me!! Get off, leave me alone!!"

"Alice!" Reid heart was racing now. He could hear his friend being possibly hurt, beaten on the other end and he couldn't do anything.

And then almost all noise was gone, other the deep breaths of a woman and a big man and loud footfalls of the man, until he picked up the phone. "Who's this?"

"Leave her alone." Reid said rather forcefully.

"Oh, I can't do that." Reid could hear the smile in this man's voice. "I haven't even had any fun yet…" and he laughed.

"You don't know who you're messing with." Reid had never heard himself sound like that, but the thought of this man hurting Alice angered him so much.

"Oh, really? Well, why don't you come and show me?"

"I will and you will go down."

The man laughed and then the sound of Alice's rough breathing was closer. "Say good-bye to you girlfriend…" he said into the phone and now Reid could tell he had put the phone to Alice's ear.

"…Alice?"

"Spencer…uuuugh…" she groaned.

"Alice, don't worry…" he said, trying to make his voice sound convincing and reassuring. "I'm coming to get you. Everything's going to be ok, I promise. I'm coming, no matter what."

"N…n….no….d-don't….Spencer." Reid was getting mad, thinking the man was hurting her again.

"I'm coming, don't worry."

Her "No"'s trailed away and then the killer was back. "By the time you find me, she'll be long gone, son…"

And then there was a click and a long, droning, unending beep.

Reid was quiet, frozen, unable to move, talk or even breath. But then he choked out, "G-Garcia!"

She was now getting up as something was printing. She grabbed keys off her table and said, "Ok, boy-wonder. You call the team, I'll drive!" and with that, she took the papers that had been printed and hurried after Reid, who had ran off ahead of her.

He wasn't wasting anytime, he was already calling everyone.

When I woke up, I immediately felt pain. I felt like I'd be kicked in the sides and gripped on the arms. My hands and feet were bound in duct tape and I had something in my mouth. I could feel dirt and grass on my face and arms. I could feel wet spots on my face where I had cried from hurting to bad.

I would have struggled, but I tried that earlier, when he tried to put me in the back seat, and he knocked me out hard. I just laid there in the back seat, hurting every time this guy went over a bump. I felt stupid…I should have went to a police station or something, not straight home. I should have climbed out of the window sooner, but I was in too much freaking shock! God, I'm so stupid!

Now, I was in the back of a truck, on my way to god knows where for god knows what!

I just hope I hadn't left that paper somewhere where it couldn't be found…it had at least one clue…

I had written down that I thought he had a truck and I was right. And thankfully I had written down it was red….i just hope the people Reid worked with would find that…


	4. Author's Note to Readers

Sorry, this isn't a new chapter. I just have a question to anyone reading this fanfic. If you like this and want me to continue, please leave a review on it telling me what you think. I am not asking for more than one review, though I'd be fine with it. I just need inspiration to keep going. I have writers block and having no one reviewing makes me wonder if anyone likes this and if no ones reading, then I don't know if I'll post more chapters.

All I need to be able to keep adding is one review, I'm fine with that. So, please, tell me what you think if you are reading this story. Thank you.


	5. Guilt

[And another chap! Yay, criminal minds and Reid!^^ and thank you for the reviews skye3197, harrietamidala1691 and LeedsUK for the comments and everyone adding my story to their favs or alerts. Those three reviews gave me the bit of inspiration to get the next chap done, thank you much!!!^^ if I have misspelled or have any errors in anything, please tell me. I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR IT'S CHARACTERS, JUST MINE!!! Enjoy!^^]

I woke up again in a place that wasn't home, still hurting. I guess I either had struggled again when he had took me out, or I was unconscious and limp and he just slung me around.

I was lying on the ground, trying to get a feel for my surroundings. I could tell that I was laying on straw or something, because it made me itch and it crunched when I rolled a bit. It was cold and quiet, except for the sound of an animal, like a rat, running around and the wind blowing and the creaking off walls. It smelled pretty bad in here. And the only light was coming from a small, square window high up on a wall and the moonlight was coming through it and some cracks in the walls.

I felt like I knew what this place might be, but I felt too tired from pain (still) to think perfectly. I guess I just had to wait for better light. Because the only thing the moon had lit up was the pale yellow hay (the moon making it paler) and…a machete…with blood on it.

I shut my eyes and rolled over, not sure I wanted to see anything else the moon would illuminate.

"Reid, we haven't had any sleep since you called us. And that was at two twenty-one a.m." Morgan told Reid, who was walking all around the house of his old friend. "It's five thirty now. We've been up, looking around this house, for three hours. It'll be best if we get some sleep and come back, that we'll be able to process things better."

"I'm processing things just fine, Morgan." Reid said as he walked back into the living room.

"Reid, Morgan's right." Rossi announced, Reid didn't stop. "I know it doesn't feel right to wait when you know there's a new victim and they could be getting hurt, but what use are we if we're half asleep."

J.J. was out in one of the SUV's, resting with Prentiss with her. Hotch was in the other room, talking to Garcia who had went straight back to her tech cave once she had the chance, ready to search for what they needed and Hotch was telling her what was going on now.

"Fine, you guys go home and I'll stay here." Reid hurriedly said as he was checking the counters, taking his time, analyzing everything.

"Reid, you're crazy." Morgan told him, getting up from leaning on one of the couches. "What if this unsub came back? We're not sure if he visits the scenes of his crimes yet."

"I'm not going home yet."

"Reid, you need to rest. We all do. I know your worried for this victim, but we can't save her-" Rossi was about to say, "right now" but was interrupted.

"We have to save her." Spencer was getting really worried. Nothing in the house was any different than the other women's houses. Trashed, half destroyed, and the word 'Bitch' scratched into the of woman's bedroom, Alice's bedroom.

"Tell me immediately if they find anything." Hotch said into the phone and then hung up. "That trace of blood we found on that branch outside is being analyzed now. It'll be a while before we find out who's it is."

"You think the unsub or the girl used it as a weapon?" Morgan asked, turning to Hotch.

"Alice." Reid said.

"What?"

"Her names Alice." He said and his mind was reeling through many memories at the mention of her name.

"did she tell you that before? I thought you said she didn't have the time or the space to be able to tell you much of anything." Rossi said. "She said the unsub was on the other side of her door, right?"

"Well, she did…and I would have found out anyway once I got here."

"Reid…" something started to set in for Morgan. "Is there something up with this girl? Do you know her?"

He was quiet for a moment, but then said, "We met when we were fifteen. We were friends…but, when she moved away, she never was able to contact me and I never could find her number or anything and over the years, I….I never thought to contact her…" he was quiet again. And then he began to feel overwhelming guilt. "…Do you think I could have saved her? If anything was different?"

"Reid, there's no way you could have known he was coming for her, could you? You're not psychic." Morgan tried to reassure him.

"Yes, I could have." Reid persisted. "If I'd known she had bleached her hair, I could have warned her. If I'd known where she lived, I could have told her to be careful, maybe stay somewhere else for a while." He was looking at a picture she had of herself, her hair back in an untidy ponytail and a few brown/bleached blond streaks falling in her face as she just smiled. "I could have done something…"

Everyone was quiet for a little while, not sure what to say to the young profiler.

"We should call Prentiss and J.J. in her and go over the profile again." Hotch said and Rossi nodded and headed out the door to the car.

Reid couldn't take his eyes off the picture. There were only few times he'd ever seen her smile like that, with true happiness. He couldn't shake the guilt he felt, thinking it was his fault she was kidnapped. Thinking there's something he could have done, he just didn't do it. And there was an ironic guilt; he hated the fact that, in all the years that have gone by since they met, the one time they come in contact again is because Alice is being kidnapped by a killer.

He shook his head, now hearing her voice in his head, moaning in pain for the man to stop hurting her, "N…n-no…no, d-don't…" and then her pleading his name, "Spencer…". His heart sank, hearing the sound again. The sound of his friend, in pain and scared.

"Reid?" Morgan said, now behind him.

Spencer looked to him and waited.

"Come on, we going over the profile in the living room."

"I'm coming…" he said and Morgan headed to the living room ahead of him. He then took the picture of Alice out of the frame, pocketing it. He needed this picture, so he could look at it and not think of what had been done to all the other victims.

"Ok, this unsub has been killing for half a year and hasn't been caught yet. He isn't a psycho, or we would have caught him by now because of something accidently left in the mess he leaves behind. But he's defiantly not clean and calm." Hotch said and everyone glanced around the house.

Almost everything was messed up or destroyed in some way, especially the doors and they seemed to have been broke inward, and that confused and irritated them because they couldn't tell if they'd broken in or not. Windows had been smashed too.

"We know that he targets women who are alone. They have no family, friends or lovers staying with them or living with them. That's why it took a while for the families to report them dead, because they didn't know. He may even end up finding one victim who knows no one, that way it could be possible that no one finds that victim." Morgan said. "And they don't know many people other than people at their jobs and neighbors and –regrettably- handy-men or their companies, for when they need that kind of help."

"We know the victims he targets usually have some unusual hair style, like bleached or dyed hair." Prentiss began. "And they're mostly white, the only exception being Gorgia Temple, who was a young, black female with completely blue hair. And, by how he beats the women, it's seems the reason for targeting these kind of women are not because of attraction, it's because of hate. They aren't many signs of rape, just being beating…for days." Prentiss was looking through the pictures, shaking her head at the sights, though still having to look. Every little thing matters when you're a profiler.

"We know this guy has plenty of hate but not much self esteem. He waits until the victims are asleep before he kidnaps them." Rossi said. "He can't be that social than. Maybe not the best handy-man, because of the minimal talking, but he gets the job done."

"And he must move around after every few victims, since he hasn't been caught. He waits out, watching for a new victim and when he finds one, he begins to stalk them, figuring everything out they can about these people." J.J. said. "And then, when he's ready, he strikes."

Everyone was quiet, thinking now.

"Is there any other connections between the victims?" Rossi asked.

"Not that we can see." Morgan said.

"Well, what's this mans stressor? Was he shunned by women like his victims? Did he have a sister who died and had some resemblance to these women? This man is striking out at these women with completely rage. So what's the reason?" He finished, looking at everyone.

They all looked around, hoping an answer would lie in the walls of this house maybe.

Just then, Hotch looked to Reid. "Reid, you said you knew this girl? You were friends?"

Everyone looked at Reid.

"Y-yes."

"Then we need to know anything and everything you can tell us about her. We need to find the deeper connection between this unsubs victims. We'll meet at the conference room at the BAU tomorrow and you'll tell us what we need to know. After that, we need to find out everything we can about the other victims, see if their anything like this victim."

"Alice." Reid corrected.

"Everyone clear?"

"Yes." They all said.

"Ok then, let's head home for the night and get some rest."

"What?" Reid asked in surprise, having been gazing around the room again.

"Reid, you need rest and so do we." Hotch said, making it sound like that was the end of it. "If you need to, you and Morgan can come back tomorrow after you brief us and check for anything we may have missed while me, Prentiss, J.J. and Rossi go and talk with the victims' families. Alright?"

Reid was quiet for a minute, but then nodded and headed outside to one of the SUV's, everyone following after him.

Reid was quiet the whole way back. He wasn't even sure he'd be able to sleep tonight. How could he, believing it was his fault his friend was kidnapped and may be killed?

He just wished he could have done something-something more then give weak orders on the phone. He wished he had still had contact with her.

But he knew that it was too late now and all he could do was try his hardest to find his friend, no matter what. He couldn't have her die, he couldn't let it end that way.

"Spencer, who's this?" a woman called into her house. She resemble Spencer a lot, other than her hair. She was skinny and frail looking too, though she had just a tad bit more meat on her bones than her son. An she had blond hair. She watched me and I got the feeling she had X-ray vision and was scanning me or something. "What's your name?"

"Uh, it's-"

"It's Alice, mom. She lives right beside us?" he said, pointing toward the house that was on the left. He seemed surprised to see me.

"Oh, you're Alice. Spencer's told me a bit about you. And, you know, you really shouldn't worry about your parents. They must be crazy or something to treat as they do. From what Reid tells me, you can be a very bright girl, you just hide it because they treat you like it doesn't matter. But I know you must be a great young girl, to have my son talk so highly of you."

"Mom, do you have tea in the other room?" Reid asked, blushing a bit.

"Ok, I can take a hit, Spencer." She said and walked away.

"She seems nice." Alice laugh, though she did mean it. "So, you talk highly of me, huh?"

He blushed more and Alice laughed. "No…I mean, yes, I talk about you, but, not as much as she said."

I watched him, trying my best to hold back a smile.

"Ok, maybe I do talk about you as much as she said, but, you're my only friend. You're the only person I have to talk to her about." He said with that shy/awkward/funny-cute smile he has that made me think he was a kid.

"Yeah, well, I'd talk about you more, probably, if I had anyone to talk to. Well, I do, but you don't really want to hear about yourself, do you?" I laughed and he laughed too.

"So, what brings you here?"

"Oh." I pulled the movie case from my back pocket and put it in front of him. "I finally got this back from my parents, who thought there was some stupid, hidden stuff on there that we could have been watching for 'fun'. To tell you the truth, I think they wished there waqs something, so they could watch it…." I cleared my throat and shook my head, trying to shake off the usual, sudden, bad mood the thought of my parents puts me in. "So, yeah, here you go."

"You can keep it." He told me with a smile.

"But its yours." I said, surprised. "Wouldn't you want to watch it again?"

"I have a photographic memory, Alice, I'll be fine."

"Aaah." I said and laughed and so did he, that quick but happy laugh.

"Well…would like to watch it again? No interuptions from sucky parents?"

"Do you mean here?" he said, seeming to get worried.

"Yeah, I've never been in your house. I think it'll be cool. Well, unless you don't want me to, then I totally get it."

"no, it's not that, it's just-well, I just-"

"Reid, if anything happens, I don't care. You have nothing to worry about, I seen people sometimes…act that way and I'll be fine. If you're uncomfortable, then I wont come in, but if you're worried about me being uncomfortable, than I'll be fine."

"Oh. Ok."

"So, you wanna just wait until another time?"

"No, we can watch now, if you want. Though, alice?"

"Yeah?"

"Do really want to start becoming a star trek geek? You'll never be able to turn back after this." He warned me while holding back a smile.

"I think I'll be alright." I told him and we headed inside.

And you know whats cool/sweet/ whatever you wanna call it, but sad? The time I spent here, well, it felt like much more of a home than my actual home had ever felt. How's that for ya?

And than my mom came banging on the door of their house.

"Alice, you get your ass home now and do your chores!" she ordered immediately. "And what are you doing her with that woman?! Are you crazy?! You're still hanging out with this crazy woman's son?! You just wait, he'll be just the same, you just-"

I shut the door than and pushed my mom away from the door, surprising and angering her.

"How dare yo-"

"NO, how dare you?!!" I said over her hiss.

"Excuse me?" she said, not understanding at all.

"How dare you come here and insult my friend and his mother?!"

"I don't want you hanging out with people like _them_."

"You know what, mother," I said mother like it was acid. "I don't really think you should have a say in the friends I make and the families I spend my time with. You lost that right when you began to treat me like bad help!" my voice was growing higher.

My mother turned her head to the sky and walked off, not wanting to deal with this. Too bad. I ran after her and grabbed her arm.

"Don't!" I said. "You are not going to walk away until you go and say sorry to my friends!"

"I don't have to do anything!"

"Yes, you do! Because I am tired of this! I'm tired of how you treat everyone, especially me! Actually, no! I don't care how you treat me! But you are not-I repeat, are not- going to insult the family of the only person who gives me the care and kindness you feel too lazy to give to anyone other than yourself and your husband! You are going to apologize, now!"

"I will not and you will lower you voice when talking to me, young lady!" she yelled at me.

I could now hear the doors opening and the murmurs of people watching. I just glared at my mother.

"God, I am so tired of you!"

"How can you be!!?!!" I yelled as load as I could, so angry. "I'm barely ever around you, you stupid woman!!! You have no reason to be tired of me, unless the years of me being a baby and you having to change, feed and care for me have really caught up to you all of a sudden!!!"

"Shut your mouth!"

"NO! I'm not going to sit by and let you treat me like this, mom, I'm tired of it!!!"

"All I've ever done is love you, young lady."

"Oh, really? If you love me so much, why don't you call me by my name?!"

"You are such a selfish, spoiled, whinny brat!" she spat at me.

"And your narcicistic, spoiled, whinny, jealous, weak bitch!!" I spat right back.

Then, my mother did the worst thing she's done in a long time. Once or twice, she may have said she hated me, because I interrupted her and dad while they were spending time together, or I broke something. But, just then….

She slapped me across the face.

"Hey!" both Spencer and Ms. Reid said at the same time.

I watched the space in which my face had snapped to look at. And this I looked back at her, my eyes tired and angry, my jaw set and clenched, my nostrils flared. And then I punched her square in the nose and there was a satisfying crunch as her nose broke.

She cried out in pain, cursed at me and then hurried inside. I watched her run off and then just stared into space, my mind feeling dead with hurt and pain and annoyance.

"Alice?" I heard Spencer right beside me.

My eyes didn't waver, but I said, "Sorry, Spock, but…I gotta go." Then I started to head to the sidewalk as I thought of where I was going. I had some money in my pockets, so let's see what I can go get with it.

"Alice, wait!" he said and grabbed my arm, trying to keep me there. "Where are you going?!"

"To town." I said and yanked my arm free, which wasn't that hard to do. I started walking faster, feeling the stares and hearing his footsteps.

"Alice, don't!" he said and I ignored him. I couldn't hear his voice right now.

"Spock, leave me alone." I warned and sped up a bit. He was hurrying, getting close to being right beside me.

"No, Alice. Look, I know-Would you stop and listen to me please?" he grabbed my arm again, tighter, and turned me to look at him. I couldn't. I knew if I did, I wouldn't be able to do what I needed to do. His face alone made me feel ashamed of what I do. I just kept my head down as he talked. "I know that it's like an escape to you, that it makes you feel a little better. But, is it really worth it?! In the end, is it all owrth?! Are you parents worth it?" that hit a nerve. "Are they worth your pain and suffering?! Or do you just let them be?!"

"I said leave me alone!" I yelled at him, the tears streaming now. Once my arm was free, I broke into a run, headed straight to the place I knew I could get what I needed. I wasn't buying this time, I was stealing. I broke in from a back to of the building selling the drinks and smokes. Then I headed to the alley and began my escape as fast as I could, the tears streaming like crazy. I didn't want to feel anything. I didn't want to feel mad, or happy, or sad or calm or anything! I just wanted to escpae. I wanted to escape it all!!!

I woke up then, tears having had streamed down my cheeks as I slept. I looked around and saw the sun was rising. I could tell, because I was a nice, warm, soft glow that filter through the cracks and illuminated the blue sky that I could see through the window.

I tried to sit up, but was I couldn't. I just rolled over, looking at everything….and then wishing I hadn't.

You know, I've seen gory movies, but….this was too much. There was blood everywhere and even…even body…..

I rolled on my side and threw up, now realizing I was right about it being a barn, but the bad smell wasn't this farm….it was the mess my eyes had strayed upon.

"Where are you at, you bastard!" I called out then. "What are you waiting for?! Aren't you gonna kill me?!"

No answer. My heart was racing, sweat forming on my brow and a headache pounding my had.

I wasn't sure how I felt right now. I…I wasn't sure I wanted to die just yet. I wasn't really ready for that yet. And, I hated to say it but, I was just a bit scared of what was going to happen. I wondered how long it'd take them to find me…but then Reid's voice echoed in my had. "Alice, don't worry… I'm coming to get you. Everything's going to be ok, I promise. I'm coming, no matter what." But the last part is what kept echoeing in my head. He said he was coming, no matter what.

What if he gets hurt? The killer could kill him if he comes! God, why did I have to call him!?! damn it! I've put him in danger! God, no, I cant think of him coming, I just cant!!!

I had to do something. I couldn't just sit here. But what could I do? Let him kill me? No, I wasn't going to do that. I wasn't going to give up….and who knew what it'd do to Reid to see me dead. Damn it, this sucks real bad!

I tried again to sit up and finally did. Moved my tapped hands from behind my back, under my legs and then in front of me. I need to find something to cut this on. I looked around and then spotted the bloody machete….

Repressing a gag, I began to crawl over to it, planning to knock it down and then use it, rubbing to tape on it repeatively until it cuts. I just hope that bastard didn't come back as I was doing so…who knows what he'd do…


	6. Questions

[Here's another chapter! I'm glad it didn't take me too long. I may have mess ups and if I do, please tell me in a review, so I can go back and check it. I'm not sure if I'm doing so well with the main characters, so if anyone thinks I'm doing a not-too-great job, please tell what I could do to improve. I hope you are all enjoying this story and that I'm doing a good job with this. I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ITS CHARACTERS, JUST MINE! R&R please!!^^]

"What can you tell us about what your daughter was like?" Hotch asked. J.J. was sitting right beside him, waiting.

"Haven't we already gone over this?!" the woman said, the mother. She had a tissue to her face and was wiping tears. "I thought we told you everything we needed!"

"We're sorry," J.J. began. "But, there was another victim and we're starting to wonder what his reasons truly are for what he's doing. And the only way we can know that, is if we find out more about his victims."

"But I thought you did that before." The man said, the father. He wasn't as emotional as his wife, but he did seem to be holding back tears.

"Yes, we did. But not as thoroughly as we feel we should now." Hotch told them. "I am sorry, but if we're going to catch this killer, we have to everything we can about why he chose who he chose. And we can only find that out if you tell us all you can about your daughter. Everything you know she did or anything. Maybe some of her friends we could get in contact with, if she has any."

The couple were quiet for a moment, but then look at each other and then Hotch and nodded.

"The first thing I'm going to ask may shock you, but I need you to keep an open, clear mind and answer me truthfully." They nodded and then Hotch asked the question he thought may be one of the main reasons the killer was killing who he's killing, though it wasn't clear yet why. "Did your daughter drink or smoke or do any kind of drugs at all?"

They gasped, surprised by the question. At first, they blurted out immediately, saying, "No, Shyanne would never do those kinds of things!! How dare you?!"

"Please, Ms. And Mr. Clearwater." J.J. said, trying to calm them. They were outraged. "Let him continue."

"Look, I know it's shocking to think she may have done anything like that. But, just because you don't believe, it doesn't mean it's not true. Please, think back on the last times you saw her before. Was there something different about her behavior that you just couldn't pinpoint? Was she angry a lot, or maybe more carefree than ever? Anything out of character for her?"

The Mr. Clearwater was quiet for a moment, glaring at Hotch, but thinking. And then Ms. Clearwater burst into tears and fell on her husbands shoulder. Hotch and J.J. gave her a moment and once she had slowed her sobbing a bit, she said, "She'd always…always ask to watch 'Steal Magnolia's' when she came to visit, if she did… we never talked enough," she sobbed a lot for a minute, but continued. "always distant because of how things were when she had left, but when she did come home, it was like we were a happy family again. She'd always ignore any faults in the day and would just enjoy it here." She sobbed some more. "But, the last two times she came home, she never watched the movie and she was just so distant. When she was actually in the house on her visit, she'd be listening to music and almost ignoring us unless we really needed her for something. And she'd be gone the rest of the day, not answering our calls. And…before…" she sobbed and then swallowed. "We had a fight-the worst of them all and she said…she said she'd never be coming back!" then, she couldn't stay any longer. She hurried out of the room and up the stairs, crying all the way.

Mr. Clearwater was crying, not sobbing. The tears just streaked down his face. He cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, sir, we had-" J.J. began, but he cut her off.

"I…I always wondered if that was her reason for staying away…I never thought she'd…." he couldn't say it. "But, my parents didn't think I would either and I did when I was young… Can I ask one thing?" he asked and he seemed dead. His face was blank and tired.

"What?" J.J. asked.

"Bring down the son of bitch who hurt my daughter. And soon."

"We'll do everything we can, sir." Hotch told him. "I still need to ask a few more questions, if you don't mind. Though, now, I doubt if you would or not. Still, answer me truthfully."

"What?"

"Did you…used to ignore her? In any way that you can think of, looking back now, did you ever ignore her or pay her no attention for a while? If so, we need to know."

"No, it was never that bad. It was only those two fights that really…broke us apart."

"Can you tell us what they were about? I know this is personal, but anything may be of use in finding this guy." J.J. told him, hoping he'd tell if she said that.

He looked at them for a moment and nodded, sighing and wiping his eyes.

* * *

"Get away from me…" I warned in a low voice as the killer had just come back into the barn. It had just started getting really, really bright outside and I wondered if it was around nine or eleven a.m. I had my hands behind myself. I had cut the tape apart before, but I can't let him know until I'm ready.

He just smiled and laughed, walking to me slowly.

"You better not touch me." I warned again.

He knelt down in front of me as I backed into some hay stacks. He just smiled a yellow toothed smile and then he grabbed the side of my arms hard, yanking me to my feet.

He let go and let me stand for a moment but then I fell into the hay stacks, off balance because my feet were still taped, I hadn't been able to cut them as easily and he came before I could. He laughed at me. Just then, I used my hands to push myself up and pushed myself forward, with my feet, until I was lunging at him, my arms swinging.

He grunted and cursed a bit as I scratched him and punched him and even got a chance to headbutt him, but then he punched me in the stomach and I toppled to the ground, clutching my stomach and trying hard to breath.

"You have a little fire…." He said and I could hear the smile in his voice. "Don't worry," he was now behind me at my ear as I began coughing and breathing in deeply. "I'll knock the fight out of you real soon…"

"Aaah!" he kicked me in the back, making me fly a few feet across the room. I tried my best to ignore the pain and get up, but then he smacked me in the back of the head, knocking me to the ground. I rolled over and watched him as he smiled.

Just then, I summoned all the strength I had at the moment and kicked him in the stomach. He staggered back as I rolled away from him and then tried again to get up. He was laughing now, coming closer again. I was on my feet again, crouching.

"Leave me alone!" I yelled and tried to tackle him, but he just grabbed my arms hard and threw me down, my side hitting the ground hard. By now, I had scraps on my arms and legs and even my face. From before at my house and now. My body was sore and I was so tired, but I couldn't let him win. I wasn't going to let him! And so, I kept trying and trying to get up, only to be knocked down again. Blood was trickling from my mouth now, whether it was from being hit in the stomach hard again or a busted lip, or both, I didn't know.

I just knew this guy couldn't win. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

* * *

"So, what are we looking for, Reid?" Morgan asked, in the living room as Reid checked out Alice's room.

"Anything. Anything we didn't see before or couldn't. Just anything." He called to Morgan.

Morgan sighed and headed towards the hall, passing a few other people who were here to dust down area's and check for prints. And then noticed something. One of the doors weren't busted in. it was completely intact. He realized why, thinking back on how they always found the victims. They were in a closet or something of the sort in their house, curled into the fetal position, as if they'd been scared and hiding before they died. "Reid, he's going to come back."

"What?" Reid came into the hall then and saw the door. He then just stared at it, frozen, as the images of the girls ran through his mind and then he imagined Alice, just like that. Then he shook his head and walked away, pulling out the picture quickly and watching it for a few seconds before putting it back.

"If we don't catch him before…" he cut off, not wanting to finish that. "Well, we can catch him when he returns. He's done it each time, though we've thought he could have been here, hurting them. But we found out the last victim was taken, and then brought back."

"It's sad…" Reid said quietly and to no one in particular.

"What?"

"It always takes a little over a week after they've been dumped in their homes, for anyone to find them… They're always so alone…"

"And that's why he targets them. He can have privacy while he does what he does." Morgan said. He then thought of something. "Reid, do we need to call this Alice girls parents? They don't know yet, do they?"

"It's a waste of time, Derek." Reid said immediately.

"They need to at least know, Reid, no matter what happened in the past."

Reid just stayed quiet. He didn't want to open that can of worms. He didn't hate them anywhere near as much as Alice, but he did hate them and he knew how they used to feel about him and his mother.

* * *

"Did you daughter have do any…drugs?" Rossi asked hesitantly. "Or drink or smoke? If so, please we need to know. And when it started."

The parents seemed surprised at the question. "Why do you need to know if Gorgia did any of that?"

"Because, we think that the other girls did the same and we think that may have been a reason behind the killers choice in victims." Rossi told them.

The father nodded. "She did…begin to smoke. She tried to keep it secret, but we know that smell and it would be all over her room, though she'd try and cover it was perfume. We caught her once, before…" he close his eyes and cleared his throat. "We had had a fight about it before she went missing…"

"Is it our fault…?" the mother asked, not looking up.

"Is what your fault?" Rossi asked, surprised.

"Is it our fault our baby's dead?"

Prentiss sighed. "We've seen this plenty of times in other cases. But, ma'am, just because you had a fight before that happened, _it is not your fault_. We think that's something he actually waits for." Ms. Temple was crying now. "Ma'am, you need to know this. This is in no way your fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame this man who's killing these women. But do not blame yourselves. Ok?"

They were quiet. Mr. Temple nodded, but Ms. Temple kept crying. She didn't believe that.

"We need to ask some more questions, but we can wait if you're not ready yet."

They nodded and took their time. They weren't ready yet, but they knew they had to do this.

* * *

"Baby-girl, anything new on the blood we found on the branch outside?" Morgan asked into the phone, talking to Garcia as Reid continued to search, now in the living room. And, of course he didn't have it on speaker….just in case…

"They're still not sure yet, my chocolate thundercat. They say it's a mix of two different people, but mostly Alice. Her blood seems too mixed in with the unsubs. How's Reid?" she said from the other end.

"Still searching frantically."

"Have you guys found anything new yet?"

"No. Well, the unsub did leave one of the doors in the house intact, but that's not surprising, because that's where we find them when-"

"Ok, I got, don't explain anymore." She said hurriedly, not wanting to hear. "So, what happened to the phone?"

"He crushed it. We found it in the backyard."

"Oh." Morgan guessed she had wished there could be something she do other than sit around, waiting.

"Ok, well, I gotta go baby-girl. I'll call you if we find anything."

"Alright, my sweet. I shall miss your succulent voice."

"Yours, too." He told her with a smile and heard her laugh before hanging up.

"Her what?" Reid asked, stopped by Morgan, holding a paper.

"Nothing. What's that?"

"I think she saw his vehicle." He showed him Alice's quick, messy handwriting. "She's talking about a red truck, but I'm not sure what make. She says it's like the one from twilight, but I haven't read that. What's the make?"

"Dang, man, even I know that! Though it's only because Garcia forced me to watch it one night." He thought for a moment, then said, "It's a…"

"You can't remember?"

"Yes, I just don't remember as fast as you, genius!" he thought for a second. "It's a 1953 Chevrolet Pickup Truck. We got his car. I'm calling Garcia."

* * *

Finally, he was gone. I lay in the hay stack, my scratches having bled out already. It was only a little blood, thankfully, but everything still hurt like hell. He had had his fun and said he'd be back tomorrow. He left me food, but I only drank the water. I didn't want to give in to the tiny bit of help he'd give me, but laying here week and hungry and/or thirsty won't help much with my strength.

It was quiet again. I was staying still, unable to move without my whole body jumping with pain and sores. I just kept watching the chained door of this barn. I thought of trying to get through it, but I couldn't right now and I didn't know if he'd come back soon…I needed to try and wait…see if he had a pattern and be patient.

I shut my eyes then, having my plan. I'd fought so much, I needed to rest now. And if he'd come back, I'm sure he'd want me awake….he seemed to like it when I struggled….

I wonder what'd happen to me if I died. At first, I wondered what the hell my parents would say. It's sad, but I really haven't had contact with them either, since I moved away. Not like I had any reason to call. Who knows, maybe they would be happy…

I thought of my only neighbors. They'd probably be surprised and sorry, but I don't really think they'd care that much.

I thought of the few people I knew at work. Maybe they'd be sad, maybe miss me a little, but I doubt it would have that much of an impact.

And then, there was Reid…god, what would it do to him? I know that if I found him died, after all these years, I think it might tear me apart. Though, I've always cared about him…I hoped for his sake…he didn't care about me as much….i couldn't take it if he was hurt in anyway, especially because of me.

God, I was fighting with myself now. At the thought of him finding me dead, I felt so bad and guilty. But, at the thought of dying before I saw him again, my chest…hurt…

And then my slowly becoming unconscious mind thought back to the one night I had went too far after drinking. It wasn't like my dreams because in my dreams, it's like I'm back in that place. Now, I was back in that place, yet totally aware that I wasn't actually there…. And I had different feelings now…

I had just gotten back from another day, having fought with my parents and even another physical fight, though it didn't go any further than before.

I was drunk off my ass, wobbling my way down the street towards home, though I thought of just sleeping on the grass beside the house.

That's when I saw Reid sitting on his porch and he seemed to have been waiting. "Hey, Spock!" I called, sounding so stupid but not caring.

"Alice?" he said and I could tell he sounded worried. "Are you ok?"

"Huh? Yeah! Of course I'm ok! Why wouldn't I be, I drank about three bottles!" I giggled as I wobbled up to his house and then tripped, falling face first to the ground.

"Alice!" he called and the he was right there beside me, helping me into a sitting position, at least.

"Woah…" I said, looking at the ground in surprise. "how did the ground get there? Huh, Spock?"

"Gravity." He said and he sounded irritated and worried. "Alice, why do you always do this?"

"What, fall? I thought you said it was 'cause of gravity…."

"Are you feeling sick?" he always did his. Asked if I felt sick or needed to throw up, but I didn't right now.

"No, I feel fine…"I said calmly with what I knew had to be the most retarded smile. "Are you feeling sick?" I put my hand on his forehead, then his cheek. "You feel ok to me. And you cheeks feel soft." I laughed, rubbing his cheek before he stopped me.

"Alice, I think you need to lie down somewhere."

"Ok!" I said and fell back into the grass. "This feels nice and cool."

"Alice, I mean somewhere inside. Do you need me to help you to your couch?"

"No! I don't want to go inside! Come on, lay down!" I said and yanked him down beside me. "Doesn't it feel nice?"

He sighed. "Yeah, it feels nice."

"You know, you are the coolest, funniest and smartest persons I ever met, you know that? I need you to know that, you know that?" I asked rolling over to where I could see him as he watched the stars, then me.

"Yes."

"And I don't want us ever to not be friends. Because we're like…like Spock and Kerk. We're best buds." And there went another goofy smile. Then I rolled over and tried to act all serious when I said, "I have been and always will be….your friend…. You know?"

"Yeah, I know."

And then I fell on him, hugging him. "Dude, I love you. You're my best friend. I love you so much!"

"I…love you too, Alice…"

I looked at him and his face was red. I felt his face and said, "You feeling sick? You're face is all hot."

"Alice, you really need to rest." He was so uncomfortable and (viewing the memory as if it were a movie) I felt bad for making him so uncomfortable, yet not…

"You know, you're really pretty. Very pretty, have I ever told you that?"

"Alice, come on." He sat up then and I sat up to, my hand still on his cheek.

I was so drunk now that I didn't stop myself from doing this.

"You're so beautiful, Spencer…I love you…" and then I leaned in and kissed him full on the mouth, not moving away until he pushed me free of his lips. He was so red in the face and he jumped up.

"You really need to sleep. Come on."

And after that, he took me back home and to my couch and left me to sleep. I only barely remember it, thinking it was dream once I woke again, feeling sick. When I went to talk to him, I saw he looked red in the face and uncomfortable right when he saw me, though he tried to hide it and say hey, as if it hadn't happened. I tried to uncomfortably say sorry, that I was so drunk last night and he said it was ok, he knows that and he said to just forget about it.

We told ourselves that was just a drunken, crazed impulse. But I know now that (though I never thought it possible then) that was something that, deep down, I'd always wanted to do. I meant what I said then. I meant it totally and completely….that he was so beautiful and that I loved him.

And I probably wouldn't be able to tell him that....

No, I didn't need to think like that. I can't give up. He's not going to kill me, not just yet! He can't! I WILL see my friend again, if it's the last thing I do!


	7. Another

[And another chap! Thanks to everyone reading, viewing, reviewing, commenting and/or adding this story to their faves or alerts. It means a lot!^^ if there are any mess ups or anything, please tell me, I will get to them as soon as I can! I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR IT'S CHARACTERS, JUST MINE! Hope you enjoy, read and review!^^]

"So, about the fight…?" Rossi asked hesitantly, waiting.

"Well, she had just gotten back from hanging with friends…kids we never liked her hanging with…." Mr. Temple began. "We saw her face. She seemed frustrated. We wondered if it was us, her, her friend or her smoking. Maybe coughing too much."

"She asked why we were watching her like that…." Ms. Temple said in a dead voice. "And we asked her….why she was doing this to herself…"

"She said she wasn't doing anything to herself and that we should just leave her alone. And then we didn't. We kept telling her that what she was doing was wrong; that she was hurting herself and others doing this. She just kept denying it, kept ignoring us. She ran to her room and locked the door, playing music loudly as we yell at her to listen to us….she didn't…." Mr. Temple stopped.

"We thought she'd either fallen asleep or just really couldn't hear us and wouldn't listen. So we decided to just give up. We came back a little later at dinner, since she hadn't come to eat yet. We found something to pick her lock, above her door. She kept it there just in case it got locked with her outside it…. When we came in, the room was clean and nice, but we noticed things were missing. Her phone, her CD player, a few more things like book or something….and a lot of close and her book-bag….and her. The window was open and the music was still blaring… We shouldn't have…shouldn't have said anything."

"Ma'am, you were both just worried for your child, it's natural."

"If we had ignored it, she'd be here with us right now!" Ms. Temple yelled.

"Yes, but she would have died from smoking so much if you hadn't confronted her." Prentiss pressed. "You did everything you could; everything any other parent would do."

Ms. Temple just dropped her head into her hands and cried.

"I think we're done for now." Rossi said, standing. "Thank you and I'm very sorry…"

Mr. Temple nodded as they stood and walked off. He had one arm around his wife, but he didn't know if he could offer anymore comfort than that.

Outside in the SUV, the two agents were talking.

"They aren't like Alice and her parents." Rossi began as he got in the passenger side and buckled up, Prentiss beside him, buckled up and now driving. "The way Reid talked about Alice's parents, they sounded like they neglected her and ignored her. Even hated her, maybe. But the temples cared about Gorgia. No matter what she did, they cared about her. And that's where he messed up. From what he knew about her, she had run away from her parents because they didn't understand her. He thought she was what he was looking for, but then the temples began searching for her a day after she ran. Didn't they say the first time, they thought she'd run and stay with a friend?"

"Yep. And she wasn't there. So, he had to finish with her quickly." Prentiss added in. "I think that's why Gorgia's death was so much more…." Prentiss sighed. She may not flinch much at the sight of what she sees with this job, but that didn't mean she wasn't affected by it deep down. "He was so angry he had messed up, he took it out on her."

Rossi nodded. "Who are we going to next?" he didn't like the thought of interviewing more parents for the second time anymore than he did the Temples.

"Oh, um…" she glanced at a piece of paper and then back at the road, saying, "The Travis's and Mr. Dawson…he was an only father…"

Rossi sighed and nodded. "Well, let's eat first. We have the whole day."

Prentiss nodded, changing course.

* * *

"Shyanne….was seeing someone…" Mr. Clearwater told them. He was looking down, tears streaming a bit, but he kept most of it in.

"Who?" Hotch asked.

"We never met him…we never knew enough about Shyanne. I mean, we'd always try and talk when she came to visit, but we never called unless it was urgent. She was only eighteen when she moved out…we didn't take the news so well when she told us on one of her last visits. She'd visit every month, you see? And…not…last time, or the time before. It was three months ago when she told us and she left us surprised and worried. she never introduced us to him and that worried us even more. Two months ago, she came again. We spent most of the time with each other, not wanting to ruin anything, but we couldn't let this just go without notice, so we asked her the day before she was planning to leave. She said that she didn't want to introduce us because she thought we'd end up ruining it for her. We told her that we were just worried about the choices she was making. She said she was a woman now and she made her own choices and would deal with the consequences. And she left that night, never calling us. And when she came for the visit this month…she just…really surprised us. She didn't call, she just came for the visit, acting almost as if nothing happened, though there were plenty of awkward moments. And then we asked her how things were going and, once again, if she'd tell us what this guy was like. She was angry with that and just decided to ignore us when we asked. That's when we saw she was asking different. And I guess she had been getting drugs or drinks from that boyfriend of hers…" he glared at the thought of the guy. "He never even tried to call her once she had died!!!"

J.J. sat back, surprised at the sudden loudness of his voice, but still listened.

"I'm sorry…. Anyways, she just stayed away from us as much as she could, until it was time for her to leave again. She tried to stay calm, saying that she kind of enjoyed her time here, but then she broke. She started yelling at us, tears in her eyes, asking why we had to ruin everything and why we couldn't just be happy for her and her boyfriend. We asked her how well she knew him and she told us to shut the hell up and that she knew him enough. She said…she said she wished she could just be really free from us, like we still had any control over her!"

"She may have…known, deep down, that what she was doing was wrong and she felt ashamed and scared at what y'all would think. Though most of her ignored the warnings and blamed you and your wife." J.J. told him.

"It is our fault, she should blame us!!" he yelled then, tears streaming more than before. "I we hadn't ever asked her, she'd still be here!! God, because of us she said….she said she was never coming back!" and then Mr. Clearwater broke apart then and there, unable to hold in the overwhelming sadness and guilt.

J.J. wanted to try and comfort the man, tell him it wasn't his fault (because it wasn't) but she knew he wouldn't listen. She looked away then, at Hotch and she wondered if he was thinking the same thing as her….What if this man came after boys and what if one of his victims had been Henry? Or he came after men and it was Will?

She shook her head, wishing she didn't think those things each time but she did, she couldn't help it. "I…I'm sorry, sir….for having to bring this up again. We'll do our best, work with what we've got and catch this man. I'm sorry." She stood with Hotch than, both of them knowing it was time to go.

J.J. kept her eyes down as she kept trying to beat away the thoughts that threatened to enter her mind. She absentmindedly got in the car and buckled up, Hotch already in beside her, starting the car.

"It's not them."

She looked up at Hotch and saw him watching her. "I…I know, I just can't help thinking…"

"Then don't think, just do. For now."

She nodded, running the images out of her mind for now. But, since they were going to meet another couple, she knew they wouldn't stay out of her mind for long.

* * *

A few minutes later, Morgan and Reid's room in a motel.

"Hotch and J.J. just called." Morgan called to Reid, who was in the kitchen as he sat on the couch in the living room.

"What'd they say?" Reid asked, walking in with a cup of coffee and sitting in an armchair. "Where the families similar to Alice's?"

"Kinda. Rossi had called and told them what they had found out. So, all together; the two girls, Shyanne and Gorgia, they did drink and smoke. Well, Gorgia smoked, Shyanne drank. And the families did fight, but it wasn't constantly, like Alice. They only fought some time before they were kidnapped. The families so far blame themselves."

Reid nodded. "Has Garcia called you back yet?"

"Yeah, but she hasn't pinpointed anything helpful. She says she's narrowed it down to twenty-two men in this area who have that kind of model. She's checking through them all, seeing if any of them have any violent history. So far, she's only found two men that seem the right age, but they're almost as skinny as you and just still."

Reid glared at him about the skinny comment, but just continued to sip his coffee.

"She says she'll be done by six o'clock, but she seems to only be running by old men. She says she' half way there."

Reid nodded again, looking at what time. It was six till six.

"When did she begin?"

"Well, I called her when we were still at your friend's house. And once we were almost here, she called back and said she had narrowed it down to the people in this area and that's when I told her to check them and that was…." He looked at the time "About four minutes ago, at five fifty."

"Ah." Reid said, knowing she was fast but still amazed. "What did she say before she hung up?" Reid had the tiniest of smiles. He wasn't so happy right now still.

"Well, for the second time, she told me to feel her speed."

* * *

It surprised me. The man had come back before he said he was. He'd only been gone for almost an hour when I heard the truck again. But what really surprised and even worried me was the the fact that he was yelling at someone one, saying no one was coming and I heard a girl screaming for him to let her go.

No…He'd taken another girl?!

Soon, he came in with the girl and threw her down a few feet away from me. I looked down at her as she tried to used her elbows and arms and knees and legs…and, as I watched her brown/green hair fray all around, wondered who it was.

She rolled over, unable to move forward anymore and the man had left…I guess he'd be back later…

…But then my stomach jumped with fear but not for myself.

It was Sara. He'd taken Sara

Tears were streaking down her face, she was crying and fidgeting a bit. She kept her eyes closed, scared and shaking.

"S-Sara…?" I said hoarsely. I hated how weak my voice sounded.

She froze and then rolled onto her knees, looking to me in shock. She still had tape on her mouth, taped on all around her head, even on her hair. I guess so it would hurt.

I got up, hurting. I walked up to her, kneeled down and tried to take the tape off without hurting her (I had gotten the tape of my feet earlier), but she cringed when it pulled her hair. Once I finally got off, she burst out.

"Ms. Helms!" she said and fell into my chest. "Oh, my god, what's going on?! Please, what's going on? I'm so scared!!"

I put my arms around her, one around her waist and the other on her hair, smoothing it soothingly and I "Sssshed" her. I rocked her back and forth and worried if I was holding her too tight, but I couldn't help it…she was so young, almost alone and now this. Damn it, what's with this guy?!

"What's going on?!" she ordered now, scared and angry, but mostly scared.

"It's going to be ok, Sara, don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you…"

"What?!"

"Sara, have you been watching TV? And when did you die your hair?" I said as a strand fell in front of my face and reminded me that she only had brown hair the other day.

"I…." she swallowed. "I thought you'd forgotten…" she looked down. "I thought you were, in the end, just like everyone else. You just didn't care… And…I met up…with this guy. He said I should die my hair. That I'd looked prettier and I didn't think it would be that bad…"

Alice almost wanted to get mad at her, yell at her, for not knowing about the killer…but she didn't figure out until the day before she was taken. So she kept her mouth shut. She wasn't sure what to say now. She didn't want to tell her he was a killer, but should she lie?

"Alice, what's going on?" she asked in a small voice. "What going to happen?"

I decided then that I wouldn't give her all the details. "Nothing you need to worry about, because nothing's going to happen to you. You just stay out of the way. When that man comes back, find somewhere he can't get to you and I'll try and keep his focus on me. You don't need to worry." I said quickly when she looked even more scared and began to breath fast. I brushed her hair out of her face. "I'm here, don't worry Sara. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

I would die before I let this man hurt her.

[ok, for starters, sorry if this was short, but i wanted to get a new one up soon. And um, I just wanted to say to the readers, I may need your help/opinion soon. One of y'all at least. So far, I got most of everything planned out for my story, everything how I want it. But the ending it sketchy. I don't need ehlp right now, 'cause I'm gonna try and think it over myself, but if I can't choose, I will ask for just your opinion. Or one of y'alls opinions. Anyone that, near the end, wouldn't mind spoilers. Not right now, just later. Anyways, hoped you enjoyed, CRIMINAL MINDS RULES!!!]


	8. Mark's

[ok, and another chap, yay!^^ it may be shorter or longer than others, but hey, at least I added in another day. Now, I'm sure that I probably miss-spelled once or twice, since I tried to write this next chapter today, and I would ask you to please inform me if I did, in a review, and I'll try and get to it. I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR IT CHARACTERS, JUST MINE! Read, enjoy, review!^^]

"So, what ya got for me, Garcia?" Morgan asked, on the phone once again.

"Me, sweet heart." She told him, a smile in her voice and making him smile. "And, I have narrowed it down to three men. One is a Frank Johnson. Thirty-nine, kinda muscular He was charged with rap thirteen years ago and was just let out last year. I was thinking it may be him, but then you said that he…enjoys other things better then…that." She cleared her throat; he knew she was uncomfortable with talking about anything like that. "So, I went on to the next creepidy creep." Morgan heard typing and then, "Gordon Samuels. Thirty, bit of an eater. He was charged with assault and battery yeeeeaars ago and seems to have cooled down since his release. Emphasis on seems to. And the last man who seemed to have a criminal history AND Bella's car was a Jason Mark. He's about fifty by now, but he was sent to jail for beating a young woman and a boy who turned out to be their son. The girl was a prostitute apparently and he'd use her a lot, ended up forcing her to stay with him because, I guess one time, they weren't so safe and she ended up having a child. A boy. One day, she disappears; tired of being beaten by the man, so he turned to his son. He took out his anger and need for violence on his son. The woman files a report on him and mister beaty went to jail for at least fifteen years (his son going into the custody of his mother, since he was still fifteen), but was released last year. I called around to see if anyone living around his house has seen him doing anything mysterious or questionable and, ding, ding, ding, they said no ones seen him much, so do we think he's sneaking around, stealing women?"

"Maybe. We'll check'em out. Where's he-"

"How dare you ask?" she said in mock surprise. "You should know I've already sent the location to your phone. Anything else I can do you, my darlings?"

"You are on it woman. Yes, just check anything and everything out you can about the woman who had filed the charges."

"On it, my sweet. Good luck." She said and hung up.

"So?" Reid asked, standing now, ready.

"We may have our guy. I'll call the others, you start the car." Morgan was already dialing Hotch's number as Reid was grabbing the keys.

Once they were in the car, Morgan was filling the rest of the team in on their possible suspect.

"And she filed charges on him and he was sent to jail for twenty years. He was let out last year, around the time of the killings. He used to beat the woman who filed the charges, and his accidental son. So, maybe he wants revenge for being sent to jail? His anger releases were gone (the woman's either long gone or dead, still waiting for Garcia. And the son's with Jason's mother), so he takes it out on the women who remind him of the prostitute." He told them as Reid started the car, checking his own phone to see where to go.

"Does the prostitute have any resemblance to the victims?" Hotch asked.

"I'll get Garcia on that. So, do we think it's him?"

"It sounds like it could be him. A lot of it fits." Morgan heard J.J. say from the background say.

"Maybe." Hotch said hesitantly. "I'm just not sure. It doesn't seem like much of a stressor…"

"Well, we'll see when we get there." Rossi said from Reid's speaker phone. "Me and Prentiss just have to finish up with this father and we'll be on our way."

"How's that going? Anything new or different?"

"Well, the family before him seemed no different than the Temple's or the Clearwater's. Loving family with a daughter who was becoming a woman, began doing things like drinking or smoking, a family fight eventually erupted. It's like he looks for that exact type and then waits for her to break away completely from her parents. It seems he can't take them if they aren't just like that. Do you think that maybe the prostitute broke away from her family before she started seeing him?"

"Maybe. We're on our way out, can you send us the-" there was beep and Hotch stopped. "Never mind… How do you think Garcia does that?"

Morgan laughed. "My girl."

"Alright, we just got it too." Rossi said. "I'm going to help Prentiss finish up with the father and then we'll be there."

"Alright." They all said and there were clicks as they all hung up.

"Do you feel the same as Hotch?" Reid said, feeling unsure now. "You know, when he said he wasn't sure about the stressor?"

"Well, I didn't think about until he said it, but now I'm wondering that, too. What about you?" Morgan said, looking at his friend as he drove. He noticed his hands were clenching a bit on the steering wheel.

"I'm just hoping this isn't a waist of our time."

* * *

"Ms. Helms?" Sara asked, lying on the hay as I sat on the floor. She needed a comfortable place more than me.

"You can call me Alice, sweetie." I chuckled, though it was halfheartedly.

"A-Alice? What…do you think my parents are thinking or doing right now….?" She looked away from me.

My heart hurt for her. She was so lost, no one was understanding her, and now this and she's so scared.

"I mean, you think they're going to be looking for me when they realize I'm missing or if they won't really be surprised I'm missing?" she asked and I could tell she was near tears, holding them back, not wanting to cry in front of me again probably. "…I wouldn't blame that much if they didn't..."

"Sara, trust me, once they figure out your missing, they'll be doing everything they can. That or you'll be back before they can really worry."

"Back?" she said disbelievingly. "What makes you think I'll be back? This guys going to hurt us, isn't he? His killed women, hasn't he? That's what you told me before…."

"Sara, you are going to go back to you family, if I have anything to do with it. I…have a friend. He's on the team with the people looking for the guy who took you and me and I know he's great at his job and so are his friends. It may take a few days, but I know he'll find us and in the mean time, I won't let anything happen to you. Ok? You just need to stay strong for me, ok? Can you do that?"

She watched me for a moment, a few tears escaping her eyes and I almost wanted to cry too, seeing her so scared. She nodded then.

Just then, we heard the clinking of the chains on the barn door and then they swung open and then closed as the man came in, smiling.

"You think you're boyfriend will catch me, huh?"

"I know he will." I said, standing and ignoring the stabs of pain as I did. I looked back at Sara, who was climbing higher on the haystack and I made sure I would be well in his way.

"Keep believing that. And you," he said towards Sara, who cringed. "you can go ahead and keep believing this piece of trash'll protect you. But she won't. She'll break by tonight and then I'll be going after you."

I heard Sara breathing in and out deeply and fast. "Hey, hill-billy." I said and he glared at me. "I thought I was your toy for now."

He smiled then. "You are." And then he swung at me and I heard Sara scream, worried.

I tried to kick him in the stomach but he just moved and kicked me in the back. I lay on the ground in pain for a moment, but heard his feet shuffling and Sara whimpering and jumped up as he was heading at her. I charged at him, summing up as much strength as I could and then I tackled him.

"You stay away from her, son of a bitch!"

[I know this is short, but I had to cut it short. Anyways, review! Next chap coming right after!]


	9. Jason Mark's

[and here's the next. I know the title to it is stupid, but I couldn't think of anything else, cuz this is like a two part chap. Anyways, I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ITS CHARACTERS, JUST MINE! Read, enjoy and review!^^]

"Alice!"

He just kept laughing as I swung at him and he knocked me down and I got back up. Sara was so scared for me and herself, she was crying uncontrollably and I knew what was on her mind. Why? Why was this happening?

He kept attacking me and throwing me down, but I kept getting up before he could go on the Sara. Got, I wanted to rest so, so much. But I couldn't, or he'd get Sara. I couldn't let him hurt a child. So I kept getting in his way and swinging until he'd had his fun. I fell to my knees as he laughed and left, chaining the door up again.

I was breathing heavily, trying to use my arms and knees to keep myself up, but I couldn't, so I fell on my side and coughed and cried, trying to hold it in but I couldn't, it hurt so much.

"Alice, oh my god, Alice!" Sara exclaimed as she stopped beside me. She was crying still, trying to check and see if I was ok. "Alice, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" she kept saying sorry until I was able to kind of say something.

"S-Sara, I'm f-" I twitched, a sudden pain in my side and then continued. "Fine. You…don't need…to worry. I won't…let…him…hurt you…." I was breathing and crying so much, it hurt me more.

"Alice, you don't have….have to do this. I…I can take it…"

"No!" I said immediately. "No, don't you do that! I'll be fine if you just stay out of the way! Sara, I'm not going to stand by and let him hurt you!"

"I'm not a child, I can take it!" she was trying so hard to be strong, like I would when I was her age, but she was crying uncontrollably. She feared the thought. "I can take it!"

"I don't care what you can take, Sara! I'm not letting him get to you!"

She kept crying into her hands and I cried silently, too, in so much pain. I couldn't ignore it and I knew it'd be worse tomorrow. And apparently, he did it twice a day…

I put a hand on Sara's shoulder as she kept crying. I had to get her out of here. The man was right, I wasn't going to last longer than one or two more days if he kept this up.

* * *

Morgan was standing in front of the door with Hotch, Reid and J.J. at his sides. He knocked and said, "Jason Mark, open there door!" they waited a few minutes and there was no answer. "Jason mark, this is the FBI, open the door!" still, no answer.

Morgan looked to Hotch and he nodded. Morgan planned to knock the door down if it was locked, but first (just in case) he tried to see if it was locked my jiggling the handle.

It was unlocked. Surprised, Morgan opened the door, hand on his gun at his side, just in case. He looked around the messy, trashed living room and then a smell reached his nose, almost making him gag, along with everyone else as they came in after him.

"God!" Prentiss exclaimed. "What is that?!"

Reid sighed. "It smells like something died in here." His eyes looked dead as he was scared who was the one who had died.

Everyone nodded, heading to the different rooms of this man's house. Prentiss and J.J. heading to the dining room and kitchen as Rossi and Hotch headed down the hall. Reid headed to a door that led to a basement and Morgan followed.

Seeing nothing in the kitchen or dining room other then trash and old food, Prentiss and J.J. called out clear. Soon, Rossi called out the same from a room with what looked like moving boxes never unpacked. A storage room, probably. Hotch called out clear also, seeing no one in the bed room or bathroom.

They headed back to the living room and, when they didn't here a clear from the boys, they looked the basement door and decided to go down as they heard Morgan say, "Guys, come here."

The stench became more overpowering as they went lower and lower and they were sure they had the right guy now. Reid and Morgan were standing on one side of the room, closest to the stairs and looking at something on the other side of the room in disgust.

"Is it her?" Hotch asked, watching Reid. Reid looked at him and shook his head. They made it down the stairs and looked to see a dead man, sitting in a chair near a small bed with toys all around it.

They were all covering their mouths by now, resisting all urges to vomit. After seeing as much as they could, they headed up stairs and outside to get some fresh air.

"Who was that?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know, you need to call Garcia. See what she's got. Maybe a brother or a friend?" Hotch said.

"I'm calling her right now." J.J. said, walking off to get far enough from the house as she could, the stench still flowing out.

They waited for a moment, thinking if there could be any reason Jason had killed a man other than a woman.

"If he's family or a friend, they may have found out what he was doing." Morgan offered. "They would have told someone and he couldn't have that."

"That or something like that." Prentiss began. "Maybe he was about to take another victim, and may have, but this man tried to stop him. He wouldn't want to stop taking women just because some guys in his way."

"But he still has Alice. Why would he go after another girl?" Rossi said, confused.

"She could be…" Hotch started, but stopped, looking at Reid.

Reid didn't believe Hotch. "No, that's not it. It takes him a week or half a week just to kill these women, and he tortures them in the meantime. There's no way he's finished." He stopped the image of his dead friend before it got stuck in his mind. "He knows we're coming after him, so he's getting worried he doesn't have much time. He's either trying to kill every girl he's had his eyes on before or he's wanting to stop us and make us think that, because we're getting so involved, we're making him kill more. That it's our fault."

"Then we need to find this man soon, or we'll be finding more and more bodies…" Prentiss said.

"So, how old did that man look to you? Was he like, a father?" Rossi asked Reid and Morgan, who had had a better look at the man.

"He looked like he could be a grandpa. He seemed around fifty or something. Think he had a grandchild who was taken?"

"Maybe."

"Ok, I just talked to Garcia."J.J. said as she returned. "She says he has no brothers and sisters and that his parents died a while back. She's not sure where the son is, she's trying to figure out all she can on him. she also figured out who the woman was. Her name is Ashley Lance. She was fifteen when she ran away from home and I'm guessing she eventually found Jason and he became her number one customer…" J.J. sighed. "A fifteen year old, having sex with a twenty year old just to make her way…" she shook her head and continued. "Anyways, one time, it goes wrong and they figure out she's pregnant. For some reason, she was able to stay with him until the child was born and even stayed after. Now, me and Garcia are guessing she needed help the child and threatened to charge him with rape if he didn't let them stay with her. And he kept them with him, having both a woman for sexual needs and a woman for violent needs. But one day, she can't take it anymore and runs off, leaving her son to take the punches. We're not sure when that happened but a year or more after she's free she accuses him of beating her and her son. He goes to jail for fifteen years, she puts her son off on Jason's mother and she has a free life, never thinking back. Then Jason's released. That's all she got."

"So, did you figure out who the man could be?" Morgan asked.

She sighed, looking down at her phone as she clicked things to get to something. "Garcia thought she had an idea of who that man down there was and it worries me."

"Why?" Reid asked and J.J. held up the phone to everyone, showing them a picture. "What?"

The man in the picture was the man downstairs, but that did not make things better.

"It's Jason Mark. He's not the killer. He's the victim down in the basement." J.J. said and everyone sighed, knowing this was bad. Their only suspect was dead.

[Omg, who is it?! I'm not sure if it's obvious to some or just unknown, but try and guess who the killer is!]


	10. Jason Mark's Son

[And another chap. Wow! Three in one day! Woooo hooo!^^ I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR IT'S CHARACTERS, JUST MINE! Read, enjoy and review!^^]

"What do we do know?" Prentiss said. "He was our only possible suspect and now he's dead… Do you think he wasn't the killer and just got in the way? Died of some other cause or…maybe someone knew he was the killer and killed him?"

"I don't think so…" Reid said. "He was killed, I saw a wound on his side and old blood. Someone killed him…and I think it was the girl, Ashley."

"Why do you say that?"

"Think about it! I mean, she has to stay with him for her son, and then has to deal with him until she just couldn't anymore. She leaves her son, finds the courage to finally send him to jail and does so. Once he's out again, she realizes she wasn't satisfied with just that and thought it wouldn't stop. She was scared, especially with her child in his mothers custody and near him. She confronts him and kills him, half out of her mind with fear and worry."

"So…she's killing girls like her? Does she blame herself in some way and she's killing girls who make the same, wrong choices she started with making?"

But then he was thinking again. Something just didn't fit about Ashley being the killer. It just wasn't right, it didn't click. "No…" Reid shook his head, thinking again.

"Then who? Mark's mother's dead and so is he. Who could do all of this and know everything about this three sum tragedy?"

"The son." He said, looking up at all of them. "He was so young and seeing his mother and father fight and do things he doesn't understand yet. He was exposed to so much when he was young. And then his mother leaves him and he's left as his father's anger outlet. And one day, his father's gone and he's stuck with someone he barely knows. His father may have beaten him, but…he must feel that he never abandoned him, like his mother. She never came back for him. Yeah, she saved him, but she never came back to take him. So he was left parentless. He probably found his father after he was let out, dead and guessed who it could be. And now he's taking out his anger for his mother on girls who remind him of her…either he doesn't know where she is or he killed her and his anger still hasn't gone away and he still wants to kill."

"By god, I think his got it." Prentiss said sarcastically.

"He's always got it." J.J. said.

"Do we know where the son is?"

"We'll know in a second…" Morgan said walking off as he talked to Garcia.

"Yes? Is there more I need to do, my sweet?" she answered almost immediately.

"Yeah. Get ready, though…" he said and began explaining.

Reid was standing and thinking as everyone else waited. So the killer beats these women for anger, prolongs it because him and his mother dealt with it for a long time. All of this is because of his parents. He was killing for revenge, whether or not his mother was still alive or not. They had at least two or three days to save Alice…. Again, he fought back horrific images that scared and disgusted him…

All they needed was to find where this man was keeping them. Reid knew it couldn't be too far, but far enough that he wouldn't be found or interrupted. Somewhere deserted and/or unoccupied. But somewhere close enough to town so he could check out for new victims. It has to be something that was handed down to him or that he built, nothing public.

Morgan came back over and answered Reid's thoughts and guesses. "Garcia said his last known resident was his grandmothers and grandfathers farm. She had called around and asked earlier if anyone has heard anything from them or about them at all lately and they said no one's been too or from their other then the son. They say they think he goes to get things for his grandmother, since she's too old to get out much and her husband died of a heart attack a few years back. They say the son comes to fix their stuff in their house when he can and is always quiet. This has gotta be it."

"Where-" before J.J. could finish her question or Morgan answer since he knew, a few rings came from Hotch's and Rossi's phones. They looked. Hotch shut his phone and nodded for J.J. to follow as he headed to their SUV and Rossi and Prentiss were heading to theirs.

"I'm so giving my baby a big kiss when this is all over." Morgan said, shaking his head.

Reid hurried into their SUV as Morgan started it. He was so anxious and worried and impatient, he was drumming his fingers on his legs as Morgan drove as fast as he could behind the others. He was just hoping he was right about it taking this man taking his time…he didn't want to find his friend dead. He couldn't find his friend dead. He just wouldn't be able to take the sadness and guilt.

* * *

I was lying against the hay, Sara right above me to my left. I was still breathing deeply, but I was feeling just inches better. Only because I wasn't moving.

"Alice…I can-" Sara began, but I didn't give her a chance to finish.

"Like I said before, I don't care what you can and cannot do. I'm going to die before I let him touch you, sweetie…you shouldn't have to deal with that at your age."

She looked down as I looked at her. I saw her eyes were red and her face streaked with tears. There was no sobbing anymore, just crying. I wished I could get her out of here. I wasn't going to be able to take it much longer. I looked around, hoping to see a crevice or crack she could go through. I couldn't. The only thing she could go through was the door, but that was locked shut…

I stood then, flinching at the pain and stopping for a minute, before I kept going. I heard Sara climbing of the hay behind me and following before she said, "What're doing?" in a hoarse voice.

"I'm getting you out of here, Sara."

"What?!"

I got down in front of the two doors and tried to push them apart. They only opened wide enough for me to move my legs through, but my hips were regrettably too big. But Sara could get through.

"Go on." I order her, struggling to keep the two doors open, but the chains struggled against me, too.

"What? No, I can't leave you!"

"Sssh!" I ordered her. I hoped he was gone. Far enough away that he wouldn't see or hear us, but I couldn't be sure. "Yes, you can leave me and you well, or so help me, I'll kick your ass instead of him."

She just looked at me, not wanting to go, but scared. She was fighting in side.

"Sara, he'll be back any second. You have a chance, so take it!"

"No! I'm not going to let him kill you!"

"He won't!" I insisted to her, lying. "He won't kill me, Sara, because my friend will be here soon enough and he'll save me. But I'm not letting you stay here when you can be in danger of getting hurt!"

"Alice, I'm not-"

"Yes, you are!" I insisted with as much strength as I could without being loud. My arms were beginning to hurt, the wood of the doors cutting my arms a little.

"No!"

"Yes, Sara, go! Do you wanna die and leave your family and Tonya!?!"

She didn't respond, she cried. She was shaking her head.

"Sara…" I said softly. "Sara, I'll be ok." I couldn't stop lying. "I'm stronger then I look, ok? I can take it long enough for my friend to get here. If you want, go to the closest house you see and call nine-one-one and tell them, just be careful."

She was beginning to believe me, finally. She was watching the ground, thinking.

"Sara, I will be ok. Trust me, I've been through enough to be able to get through this. Just go, I'll be after you soon enough, because my friends coming."

She looked up at me and I saw the question in her eyes.

"I _will_ be ok. Just go."

She waited, but then she crawled through the space I made in the doors and I saw her running off (no one behind her and no screaming following her) before I let go and moved away from the doors.

Thank god…she was gone and she'll be ok. I stayed by the doors, listening just in case he was in his house that I could see through the cracks or not. I didn't hear yelling of anger or footsteps other then tiny ones running. They faded eventually and I just hoped he didn't ever see her before she was away and safe.

I walked back over the hay stack and fell down with a pained sigh. She was gone and safe (hopefully) and maybe this guy would throw me in the woods or bury me before Reid found him and caught him…I don't want him to see me. I knew he probably wouldn't be able to find me beforehand, only because that's just my freaking luck. He'd find the killer, but not me. Not a living me, anyways.

So as I breathed deeply, pained again, I thought of him and only him. my best friend and the only guy I would ever love to any extent.

I thought back on our last days together…

"So, you're moving tomorrow?" he asked, rolling on the balls of his feet, his hands in his pants pockets.

I sighed, not looking at him. "Yep." Why? I had one person who really made me feel like my life was worth living and I was moving away from him. because of my stupid f'ing parents!

"Well…can you watch a movie before you have to go…?" he asked hesitantly.

I looked at him, smiling when I guessed what movie. It had become our…well, I guess you could say 'theme movie'. Mostly because the end, which is so powerful and we kinda feel it represents our friendship I a way. Like, we have that same strong friendship. Well, not as intense as theirs, since we haven't fought aliens together, but we've fought off crapy parents and testosterone controlled boys together enough times.

"Sure, Spock. Let's go."

And then we watched it at his house, his mother watching a little bit of it with us before saying she'd rather read. We just laughed and enjoyed our last bits of time together. After the movie was over, we talked about our day. Which wasn't all too exciting on either end, so then we decided find something on TV. We ended up seeing something talking about a criminal and these people called Profilers that work at the BAU. They seemed like really smart people, so I turned to Spencer and said, "Maybe you should be a profiler."

"What?"

"Well, you got the brains for it. I'm sure you could profile the heck out of some of the worst guys in this world. Hey, maybe you'll even get Johnson one day." I said, nudging him as I thought of the foot-ball jerk who had messed with Spencer. I know I'd be happy if I got him into jail.

"I don't know…"

"I'm not saying that's a perfect job for you," I laughed. "I'm just saying, you'd probably be great at it."

He blushed, smiling a bit and sitting back. I did too and asked, "So, what do you think I'd be good at? Other then f'ing up my life?" I tried not to use so many cuss words around him. I don't know, I just got this guilty or ashamed feeling when I cussed around him, just like when I drink or smoke with him around.

"…Actually, I think you'd be really good and giving people therapy." He said and I laughed. "No, really. I mean, if you went to school for a while and learned what you needed to, you could help a lot of kids that have been through what you've been through or something like it. I'm not saying it's perfect, I just think you'd be good at it." He smiled at me and I smiled back, thinking about it.

"…Sounds like it might be a good career. How about it? Let's make a promise."

"What kind of promise?" he eyed me and I laughed.

"Me and you make a promise that we will try out these jobs and see how we like it. If we like it, we pursue that job. If not, we don't. Promise?"

He thought about it for a moment. Then he nodded, holding out his hand, which I took and we shook hands.

"If I ever need help, I call you?" I asked. And he nodded.

"And if I need therapy, I call you?" I nodded too.

"Ok, then." I said and we just couldn't help smiling…I didn't know about him, but I just always, ALWAYS felt happy when we were together, no matter what we were doing…he was like a different addiction to me. I almost laugh out loud, but it was the truth. He made me happy and made me forget everything, like nothing could ever go wrong. Until, of course, it does but at least I can enjoy my time with him without killing myself each second I did.

But, my high with him was interrupted once again when I heard my parents yelling. It was almost six and they were getting things into the car.

"Alice, get out here and help!" I heard my mother.

I sighed, my head dropping back over the back on the couch in annoyance until I stood, sighing again. "Well, that's my cue."

He stood, too. He didn't know what to say and neither did I for a moment, but when my mother yelled again, I decided the good-bye had to come.

"Before I go, Spence, I just want to tell you…well, you're the best friend I've ever had and possibly the best thing to happen to me…you saved me from my stupidity and I owe you so much. I'm going to miss you a lot." I gave him a hug and he hugged me back. I didn't let go for a while, but I was sure he was getting a bit uncomfortable so I let go. And I risked making him more uncomfortable with what I did next, but I didn't care, it showed my gratitude.

I kissed him on the cheek softly and said, "Thank you. You pulled me out of the hole I was digging myself into and kept me out. I owe you my life, Spencer, you have no idea…"

He was blushing now. "…I didn't really do much…"

"No…you did." I told him and, with a wave, I left. And my heart ached the whole time. I was leaving my home behind. My home and my heart and there wasn't much I could do about it without getting police called on me.

What I regretted the most about that moment was the fact that we were too caught up in the fact that I was leaving to really think straight. So, I completely forgot to tell him where I was moving or what number he could contact me with. And I never thought to ever ask him his number before, neither him me, because we lived beside each other. Why have each other's number when we could just walk next door?

And that was the last time I really saw him, in person…I never saw him again and I knew I wouldn't get the chance again…

I realized I was wakening from slumber. I wouldn't have been able to remember that that easily if I hadn't fallen sleep. And I realized I had heard something and that's what woke me.

I sat up (painfully) and what'd for the guy to come in and start screaming that Sara was gone and then begin to beat me. But, it was taking him too long to unlock the doors. Maybe he dropped his key. No, he was messing with the chains, not looking for a key in the grass. I moved into a sitting position, ready for what he was going to do. Maybe he found out already and was angry that I let her go and that anger was making him fumble.

But then there was a gunshot and I got really worried. Was he going to shoot me? I cringed back and waited, thinking maybe he'd shoot me in the head and I'd pass quickly.

The door opened, creaking. I couldn't see him perfectly because it was getting darker outside, but I saw him coming closer…wait…it's not him. He's too skinny…

Oh my god.

[Are you psyched for the next chapter?! Or am I not so great at making things intense?^^; well, either way, the next will be coming soon enough, because everything's just flowing out. Once again, sorry if anything was misspelled, I'm just on a run and can't help my mess ups. If I have any, please tell me in a review! Thank you for reading!^^]


	11. Risky

[Another chap!^^ Read, enjoy, review!^^ I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR IT'S CHARACTERS, JUST MINE!]

He came into the light then and Alice felt her heart was going to burst with the emotions going through her right now, including happiness and fear of Spencer being here.

"Alice…?" He asked hesitantly, stepping into the minimal amount of light coming through the top window. He was looking around for Alice, unable to see her since she wasn't in the light.

She stood then, ignoring the pain completely, and walking into the light. There was a moment of pause before she ran to him and threw her arms around him and crushing him to her, Spencer doing the same.

"Spencer! Oh my god, I can't believe you're here!" She couldn't stop myself from crying a little bit.

"Alice, I'm sorry it took me so long…" he was holding her so tight and her him. He let go then and so did she. He seemed to be checking the damage and then the most sorry and ashamed look covered his face. His thoughts were that of wishing he'd found out faster, had gotten to her sooner. He blamed himself for all the damage done to her, even if he wasn't the one who did it. She was bruised so much, many scratches having bled out and had begun to heal only a little. "….I'm so sorry, Alice…"

He was watching the ground, so Alice put her finger under her chin and tilted to where he was looking at her. "Don't you even think about it, Spencer. You came for me and that's what matters…"

He looked away, not listening. "We need to go, my friends are out in the forest looking for this place. We got the directions most of the way, but this place is so deserted, we had to break up and check in groups."

"Ok, come on." She said, grabbing his hand tight. She wasn't going to stay here any longer and risk the killer coming for them.

They hurried out, their heads swiveling around a lot to check for the killer. They didn't see anyone coming or hear anyone so they ran faster, reaching the trees of the mass forest that surrounded the barn.

"Where are they at? Are they close by?" Alice asked, breathing heavily from the pain it was causing her to run.

"I'm not sure." Reid huffed back. "I was with Morgan before, but I saw a hidden track or road and followed it to the barn." He had been too worried about finding Alice to keep up with Morgan.

"Do you have a phone, can you call him?" Alice asked. Every second they were in the woods, she kept having a creeping feeling they were going to be seen and by the worst person. She didn't want herself and especially Spencer unprotected if the killer saw them.

"No, I left my phone in the SUV." He said, sounding annoyed with himself.

Just then, they heard a yell of anger and Alice knew they had been seen or her absence had been realized.

"Run!" Alice and Spencer said at the same time, trying to run faster than they already were, though it hurt Alice and Spencer was already going as fast as he could. They both knew danger was following them and it was angry.

And then they heard a shut unlike the one Spencer's gun made and ducked when a branch beside them blew apart.

"What the hell was that?! A shot-gun?!" Alice screamed as she and Spencer ducked behind trees.

"It sounded like it." Spencer said hurriedly. He looked around the tree, trying to see the killer, but he couldn't. Not yet. "Let's try and keep going, but keep behind the trees. We don't need to stay in one place if he's coming."

Alice nodded and they began hurrying ahead, hiding behind trees each time they heard a branch crack or something.

"I'm gonna kill you, boy!!" they heard then and their hearts sank when they realized how close it was. Just then, the tree beside the one Spencer was hiding behind was shot, chunks of wood flying as the bullet blew through the skinny tree.

"Spencer!" Alice almost screamed, her heart freezing over at the sight of he being too close to being shot. "Get behind a thicker tree!"

He nodded and ran ahead to a thicker tree. And then he was looking around to see the killer, his gun out. Alice noticed and her stomach clenched. She looked at him, shaking her face and mouthing, "No! don't!"

He ignored her and carefully looked around the tree again. He aimed his gun and a few seconds later, he shot, making Alice jump with anxiousness and anxiety.

"You missed me, boy!" the killer called and a second later, the tree where Spencer had been before he found a thicker one was shot, chunks and splinters flying from it.

Alice flinched, thinking that if he hadn't moved, he would have been shot. She looked at Spencer and he was getting ready to shoot again. "Spencer, stop!" she whispered and he ignored her. "Please, stop, or he'll shoot you!"

He shot again and all they heard was laughing.

Not too far away in the woods, Morgan heard the gunshots and was running as fast as he could toward them.

"Spence, stop, you're gonna get shot!" Alice kept saying. She moved closer, hurrying behind a thicker tree.

"Give me the girl back, boy, I'm not finished with her yet!"

"No!" Spencer yelled back, his voice breaking. He shot again, right as there was a shot against his tree, a little higher above his head. It didn't blow through.

"Spencer, stop now!" Alice ordered, trying to steal her voice. "You're going to get shot!"

"He's not going to get us, Alice, I'm not going to let him!" he was looking again for a good shot.

"Spencer, please!" she was feeling so crazy, worried that any second Spencer would be shot.

Still, Morgan was getting ever closer, hearing the shots and the voices.

Spencer got ready and shot again, the tree he was behind shot in return, closer to his head.

Alice looked around the tree, needing to see where the killer was. He was so close, any second now and he'd shot through the tree and kill Spencer. Alice shook the image from her mind, unable to take even thinking about seeing that.

There was another shot on the tree were Spencer was. It just kept getting closer and closer to his head.

"Spencer, stop!" Alice pleaded.

He shot again and there was another shot above his head.

"Stop it, before you get shot!"

He shot again and a bullet whizzed past him, in between his tree and Alice's.

"Stop!" she screamed and heard laughing from the killer. She was almost near tears, so scared.

Spencer eyes narrowed as he began to get ready to shoot again. Alice looked around her tree carefully, mumbling, "Please, please, please…" not wanting her friend hurt. She could barely see the killer, hidden by a few trees. He shot again and it passed her face, close enough to blow her hair a bit and Spencer shot. There was a roar of anger and she knew Spencer had shot him.

"Damn it!" he roared and Alice saw him come into view…and he had a perfect shot at Spencer. He loaded his gun and aimed, right as Alice was running to Spencer to get in his way.

BAM!!!

[oh, I so know I'm going to die for cutting it here, but I had to^^ I had to add a new chap real soon but I couldn't have it be too long….and I also wanted y'all to be itching for more possible, so, sorry!^^; adding a new chap as soon as I finish writing it!]


	12. Another Authors Note

Hey, sorry, not another chapter yet, 'cause I'm still working on it. I just wanted to ask the people reading this a question. And this is the one I said I'd ask before, with another question also.

Ok, number one: I'm planning on having Reid, Morgan or Garcia call Alice's parents to tell them what happen and them respond like the crappy parents they are. Now. I want yal to tell me who would be best to go off on them and suggestions to what they should say, depending on who you choose. The help would be greatly appreciated, because my mind isn't working well on that at the moment.

Number two: What do you want to happen between Alice and Spencer? Should they be together in any way? Or should they just stay friends? What would you want to happen? It will help me finish the story if you tell me your feelings on it.

If anyone helps, then thank you very, very, very much and it is greatly appreciated. If not, it's fine and I still appreciate you reading^^ and I'll figure it out, I just wanted to know your opinion.


	13. Saved

[hey, here's the next chap. Sorry if it's not as long as you may wanted, but I finally got everything I needed in. there'll be about two, three maybe four (doubt it) more chapters coming after this one, and then it will be the end, sorry to say. Anyways, I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR IT'S CHARACTERS, JUST MINE! Read, enjoy and review!]

Alice fell, having gotten shot in the shoulder. Spencer fell with her, since she had threw her arms around him in protection. Spencer stared at Alice as she rolled around, clutching her shoulder and mumbling incoherent things, pained.

He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her wound, tightening it as hard as he could to stop the bleeding and then putting his hand on her shoulder. She groaned at the pain, but didn't stop him, knowing it would help stop the blood…for now, at least a little bit.

"You little mother fuc-" they heard the killer say as he began to load his gun, but the he was stopped short and they heard him fall to the ground.

Morgan had just tackled him and was trying to get him to stop struggling, so he could put the handcuffs on him. They were rolling around, one trying to handcuff the other as the other tried to get up and fight. Morgan had to punch him in the face to get him to stop struggling for the moment and then he put the cuffs on him. "Stay down, you son of bitch or I WILL shoot!" he warned, his gun aimed as the killer on his stomach, on the ground.

"Sp-Spence…" Alice sighed, hurting so bad that her words almost slurred.

"Alice, sssh, it'll be ok. Morgan! Call for an ambulance!" his voice was so stressed it went up plenty of octaves.

Morgan got on that, his gun still aimed at the killer on the ground as he dialed the number and started giving them their locations.

"Spencer…I…I need to tell you something." Alice was beginning to become weery from the loss of blood, but she fought to stay awake.

"No, Alice. Ssshh. You don't need to talk."

"Yes, I…I do." She smiled at him, thinking of a moment from their favorite movie. "I…I almost want…to give the Spock speech from the end…end of the movie." She laughed and flinched when he shoulder shook. "But…this is different…now… We're different now…or..I know…that I am."

"Alice, this can wait. You're gonna make it, ok?" he insisted. "Morgan!"

"They're on their way, kid!"

Spencer cursed silently, knowing Alice was still losing a bit of blood.

"Spencer, this…can't wait. If they don't get here…then I'll…miss my chance…"

"What are you-"

"Spencer, I love you…" she said simply, yet with so much feeling and emotion. Spencer was frozen, surprised. "From the moment you save me, I loved you. You cared about me more than anyone else….and…you were there….for me. Every time I needed you….you were there." She smiled weakly. "…You took care of me…dealt with me, no matter what state I was in…."

"That's…what friends are for."

She laughed, a tear falling. "You the best, most sweetest and caring person I've ever met, Spence…everything about you is…just so perfect and great… Can I…ask you for something….please?" she was almost near tears, trying hard to stay awake so she could do this last thing.

"W-what…?" he asked, almost crying. He didn't like the mood she was setting, making it seem like she going to die and he was trying so hard to tell himself she wouldn't.

She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled his face to hers, tears streaming down her eyes at the fact that this was the last thing she could do and she didn't know what he'd do afterwards. She just hated this whole situation, but she had to do this. She couldn't leave this world without doing this just once more.

"Alice…?"

"Kiss me, Spencer…" she said almost in a pleading voice.

He paused for only a moment, but then closed the space between them, their lips finally touching.

Alice felt herself covered in warm silk as they kissed, her lips feeling on fire and tingling as they moved with his soft lips. She wished she could stay here forever, with his lips touching hers, but she couldn't.

Then pain in her shoulder made her flinch away, breaking the kiss. Spencer spaced out for only a moment, so shocked by the kiss and what feelings it had sent through him that it took him a minute to realize he still needed to add pressure to Alice's wound.

Everything began to go so fast then. Alice's eyes closed. She was unable to stay awake anymore and they heard some sirens and the calls of the team in the distance, but Spencer felt it may be too late. He just sat there, keeping his hand on her wound, tears falling from his eyes as his friend lay motionless on the ground, her eyes closed. He could hear Morgan calling back to the rest of the team, but it sounded so distant. All he was focused on was the fact that Alice's breathing was becoming faster; her face was becoming pallor, her face was becoming sweaty. He didn't see the ambulance stop by them. Didn't see or hear the team around him until he was yanked away from Alice's motionless form. He watched her get taken away into the back of the ambulance, too over taken by sadness and possible loss to be able to move or think or talk.

"Spence…" he heard faintly. He still didn't move, it sounded so far away. "Spencer."

He looked around then. Everyone was surrounding him, watching him. J.J. had her hand on his shoulder, looking at him worriedly.

"We need to get to the hospital." He said all of a sudden, his mind working again.

"O-ok." J.J. said and they all began to head out of the woods to their SUV's.

Spencer road with Morgan to the hospital, once again almost jumping out of his skin and drumming his fingers on his legs. He tried not to look at his hands, which were still covered in his friend's blood. He just kept his eyes ahead, all the while resisting the urge to ask, "Are we there yet?"

"Reid, she'll be ok."

He didn't say anything back to Morgan.

Morgan tried to find some way to get the younger profilers mind off the fact that his friend could be dying. But he couldn't. There was nothing he could think of that could stray his friends mind from Alice.

"…She said she loved me…."

Morgan glanced at his friend and saw his worried, scared and sad face. He still didn't know what to tell him, he just hurried.

Minutes later, they made it to the hospital the ambulance had come from. Spencer bust through to doors, Morgan, J.J. and Hotch behind him.

He hurriedly asked for his friend and they said she was in surgery and they could wait in the waiting room not far from the desk.

Spencer sat down and waited, his mind reeling. Would she be ok? Or was it too late? Why did she have to jump in front of the bullet, why couldn't I have been him?! He had his head in his hands before he realized he needed to wash them.

He stood and headed to the boys room, going to the sink and washing his hands harshly. He didn't want his best friends blood on his hands. Once they were clean, he check his face and washed off what had gotten their when he dropped his head in his hands.

He made it back after a few minutes of deep breathing in the bathroom. He sat down slowly, letting his head fall back. A nurse had came up and asked him for information on Alice and he filled out what he could on her. Mostly her name, age and address. That's all he really knew.

While still waiting, the team welcomed Garcia, who had come to check on her little sweetheart. She sat in between him and Morgan.

"You ok, wonder-boy?" she asked softly with a little smile, hoping like heck she could lighten his mood.

He shrugged. He had his eyes closed, trying to think, afraid of what images would come to him if he did.

"Well, I'm sure you friend will be out soon enough. You guys did a great job."

"Though that was stupid of you to go and find her by yourself." Morgan put in and, though he was right, Garcia gave him a warning look.

"I saw the road…" Spencer mumbled then, everyone now looking at him. "It was barely noticeable, hidden by leaves. But I could see it and tracks leading down it…I just couldn't risk waiting. You had gone ahead of me, Morgan, and I couldn't see you. I would have went and got you, but I couldn't waist time… I just felt like her clock was ticking…I couldn't let her die…."

"And you didn't. She'll be fine Spencer." J.J. reassured him, hoping to the heavens she would be right.

And so, they waited. Hotch and Morgan had left, to check on Prentiss and Rossi and the unsub. Two hours later, though, a doctor came over and asked, "Alice Helms?"

Spencer stood, watching the doctor.

He cleared his throat. "I'm Dr. Sam. I was in charge of Alice."

"Is she ok?' Spencer found himself squeaking out.

"Well, she was in shock when she was brought in and we hurried to get the bullet out and stop the flow of blood and figure out how much damage the bullet had done. It was right above her left shoulder and just barely missed the bone."

Spencer cringed and the doctor continued.

"We cleaned out the wound and stitched it up. But she was still very wounded. She had about four broke ribs, two on each side. We pieced them back together, though, and they should heal in time. She had a lot of damage, but I'm sure it will all heal. She just needs rest. Any questions?"

"Can…I see her?" Spencer asked weakly, trying to chase the images out of his mind again.

"Yes, but she may not respond much. We gave her something for sleep just before I came in here. Come this way." The Dr. said as he began walking back, Spencer following him.

Once they made it to the room, Dr. Sam let him in and left. Spencer pulled one of the chairs close to Alice's bed and sat there, watching her. He wasn't sure what exactly he was feeling. He felt guilty, for never having contact with her and that this was their first reunion. He felt sad that she had been through all of this. And he felt confused when he thought of what she said she felt…confused by her saying she loved him.

"…Spock?"

Spencer looked up, having been watching the floor as he thought. Alice was watching him, her head half-way up and her eyes barely open. Her mouth pulled into a smile at the corner. "Alice...are you…are you feeling ok?" he asked, his voice weak, almost barely audible.

"Yeah, they already gave me something for the pain…though, I'm sure I'll feel it in the morning." She laughed.

"…Why?"

Alice face stiffened, but her smile didn't fade. "I couldn't let you get hurt, Spence…I just couldn't… It's not possible for me." She laughed again.

"You didn't need to do that Alice, you…you could have died." He looked at her and she saw in his innocent eyes how much the thought scared him.

"But I didn't…because you kept your promise."

"What-"

"When we were young, we promised each other we'd become a profiler and therapist if we wanted that. And we did. And you kept you're promised….You saved me. Once again, you saved me…… And I really haven't paid you back yet, have I? I never did much when were young…"

"What're you talking about?" Spencer said. "You helped me when people tried to attack me or lash out at me. You were always there after…" he didn't say, because he feared it would sound like he blamed his mother for her episodes. "And I never asked you to, you just did."

"I never asked you to help me either, but you did." Alice countered.

They were quiet for little bit, but then Spencer had to ask something.

"Alice…um…about-"

"Don't worry about it, Spock." Alice said with a slight blush. "Just ignore that, it was…nothing…"

"Alice…are you sure-"

"Yes, it was…you're the only person I've ever actually loved…I was confused. I could never love my parents because….well, you know how they are." She said with an annoyed, forced laugh. "And you're the only person who really cared for me, better than my parents…I guess I just got caught up in the moment and how I was feeling. You're…like my only real, caring family and we didn't have a proper good-bye….my feelings were just a confused bundle then… Just forget about it, Spock." She looked away, not wanting him to see in her eyes and guess she was lying.

Spencer wanted to ask more, but he saw she was getting tired and also wasn't sure he wanted to go on. He just wasn't completely comfortable with this kind of thing. The room became quiet and tense then, until Spencer heard Alice's snoring.

He laid back, getting comfortable. He wasn't going to leave Alice for a while.

[And thank you, all who offered me help so far. I will be getting to the team going off on Alice's parents in the next chapter, sorry I couldn't add it in this one. I'll try and finish and add next chap as soon as I can!]


	14. Feelings

[And the last chap possibly. Please enjoy, tell me if I had any misspells or anything. I DON'T NOT OWN CRIMINL MINDS OR IT'S CHARACTERS, JUST MINE! Read, enjoy, review!^^]

The next morning, Spencer was woken by Hotch, who ask him to follow him. Reluctantly, and glancing at her sleeping form once, Spencer left Alice to her continued slumber.

Once the two agents made it back to the waiting room, Spencer saw the others had come to check on him and Alice, too.

"How's she doing?" Prentiss asked hesitantly.

"She's…ok. She may be in pain when she wakes up and it'll be a few weeks before they want to let her out, but she's going to live…" Reid told them. They nodded.

"Are you ok, man?" Morgan asked.

"My neck and backs a bit stiff, but I'm fine." He said with a small laugh, since it wasn't much.

"Reid, we think we should call her parents. Let them know what's happened." Hotch said.

"Sir, I'm not sure that's a good-" Spencer began, but was cut off by Morgan.

"They need to know, at least. Garcia?" Morgan turned to her and she already had her laptop open.

"Their number is…545-2184."

Spencer sighed as everyone watched him, but then dialed the number, putting it on speaker. It ringed for a moment before a woman answered, saying, "Hello?"

"Ms. Helms?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, who is this?" she sounded annoyed.

"This is Spencer Reid." he almost didn't want to tell her but did.

"The crazy woman's son? What do want?" she sounded like she wanted to hang up.

"This is the FBI." Hotch said and her voice changed only a little.

"What're the FBI calling me for? I didn't do anything!"

"It's about your daughter, ma'am." Spencer told her, his voice beginning to leak with annoyance already.

"What's she done now? Did you finally catch her doing drugs? If you did, just go ahead and send her to jail or some psycho hospital. Lord knows she needs help."

Spencer felt like yelling, hating Alice's mother so much. But he couldn't find his voice, he was too angry.

"She was kidnapped, ma'am." J.J. said, surprised about how this woman talked about her child.

"Well, have you got her back?"

"Yes, but…" J.J. was feeling almost the same anger, wondering why this woman did not sound the least bit concerned.

"Well, ok then. Tell her to watch herself next time."

"With all due respect ma'am, you need to watch yourself!" Garcia suddenly barked.

"Excuse me?"

"Your daughter was beaten and even shot." Morgan said, angry.

"Well, what did she do?"

"She didn't do anything!" Prentiss said before anyone else did.

"Well, then why was she shot? There's gotta be reason, especially when it comes to a girl like her." She sounded disgusted.

"A 'woman' like her is better than the woman you'll ever be, ma'am." Spencer finally spoke up, angry as possible.

"Oh, really? Then where's she getting the money to pay off the hospital she's at, huh?" she asked, almost about to laugh.

"She'll get it from you, ma'am. The bill will be sent in a week." Hotch said and turned the phone off before she could say more.

And with that, everyone cooled down. J.J. was shaking her head, unable to believe how selfish the woman was. Garcia and Morgan were glaring at the phone, as if there glares would go through the phone and physically burn the woman. Prentiss was sitting down with Rossi, who shook his head to. Hotch was watching Spencer and he glared at the phone, too.

"So, will you be helping her?" Hotch asked him.

Spencer looked up at him then. "Of-of course…she really doesn't have anyone else…"

Hotch nodded. "Then good luck. The rest of us," he looked to everyone other than Spencer. "need to get back to the BAU for the next case. We'll come and check on you two when we can, just in case you need anything, Reid. Alright?" he asked everyone and they all nodded.

Everyone said their good-byes to Spencer before they left and the girls told him to tell them if anything happened. After they were gone, he headed back to Alice's room, right as she was coming around.

He hurried to the seat beside her and sat down, one hand on hers in a second. "How're you feeling?"

"Like shit. But hey, what's new?" she was still sarcastic. She flinched a bit as she tried to sit up. "So, what, did you stay all night?"

"Well, yeah… I couldn't just leave you."

Alice smiled, turning away. It was quiet as they stared at each other, but then it became too quiet and Spencer said, "Your mom and dad will be paying your medical bill."

"What?" she said, surprised.

"Hotch, my boss, said he'd be sending her the bill in a week." he told her with laugh.

Alice laughed, too. "Man, I wish I could have seen the look on her sorry face. Did you call her or something?"

"Yeah, a few minutes ago. The team thought that your parents should know what happened, no matter how much I insisted they wouldn't care."

"What did they say? Oh, let me guess. Oh, she got hurt? Well, I guess that's her own damn fault." She sighed.

"Pretty much."

"Well, it's makes me feel better knowing she'll be paying for everything." Alice smiled the biggest smile Spencer had seen since he got her back and she closed her eyes, enjoying the aggravated image of her mother that came to her mind.

"Good." Spencer said with a slight smile and Alice smiled more at the sight of it.

For the next few days, Spencer was at the Hospital, never leaving Alice's side. One cup of coffee and he was good to go. They spent most of their time talking about things in their lives lately, like what unsubs Spencer and his team have brought down, including the unsub who had taken Alice, who was now in jail. And Alice told him about how she was a therapist for children. She had remembered that Sara had run and told him about it, worried if she had made it or not. Spencer had gotten a call from the girl earlier I the week and she had been asking who he was.

"Are you the friend she was talking about?" Sara said and sniffed. She had been keeping back happy and reassured tears, her worries gone now that she knew Alice was ok and the killer was gone.

"What friend?" He had asked, curious.

"Before she helped me escape, she told me that she had a friend and that he'd be coming for her. That he'd save her. I wasn't sure if she was lying just to get me to leave or not, but I hoped that it was true and I guessed it was."

"O-oh…" He said and had glanced at Alice, who had been sleeping again.

"Well, I'm glad she's ok. Thanks for helping her, she's a great woman."

"…Yeah, I know…"

Spencer even told her that he had gotten addicted to a drug because of a kidnap of his own. She became worried for him, not wanting him to end up like her. Having a really crappy life. But he reassured her that he hadn't taken any of the drugs in a while. She knew she'd have to keep her eye on him, knowing it was times like these, times of stress and being unsure, that brought out the need for release.

After a week in a half in the hospitals' and Spencer's care, Alice finally left. She was tired of lying around, doing nothing. So, on their way to her house, they went to see a movie and just saw the sites, enjoying their time, free.

"So…read any new books lately?" Alice asked, thinking of books she read in her free time.

"Well, yeah. Plenty. There's-"

"Is it over ten books?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because, I'm going to feel tired if you tell me that you have read ten books in a day or two." She laughed and Spencer ducked his head with a shy, uncomfortable look on his face that he wore many times.

"Actually, it was just a day…." He looked away again and Alice just smiled, so happy.

"Well, with a last name like yours, it's not surprising."

It was quiet as they made it to her house. They stopped outside.

"Well, I guess this is…goodnight?" Alice said hesitantly, not wanting him to leave at all, but knowing he needs rest and probably would want a break.

"I don't have to leave yet, you know?" he said with a smile. "My teams still away on another case, so I don't really have anything to do…"

She smiled. They headed in, and Alice was relieved to see everything was back in order. Nothing was trashed anymore, there was no present of reminder of what passed, only memories that could be pushed away. Though, Alice was still having a few nightmares every few nights. But if not nightmares, she had clam and happy dreams of her greatest friend.

They were sitting in her living room, watching TV. Of course, their movie was on, so they let themselves get pulled into the tear-jerker moment, crying more than before because of the added emotion of what's passed.

"…I knew you'd find me…" Alice told him all of a sudden.

He was quiet for moment. "Of course I would…I couldn't give up…"

"Why?" she asked, her emotions running and her curiosity peaked.

"You're…you're my friend. One of my best friends and i….i wanted a chance to see you again, to say…I'm sorry…" he looked away.

"Sorry for what?" Alice said, but she knew what he meant. "Spock, you're not the only one who never called. I never tried harder to find you other than getting in touch with your mother, but that wasn't much. I don't blame you or hate you in any way for not getting in touch, so don't blame yourself."

"I…I can't help feeling guilty, Alice…. God, the only reason we're together now is because of a killer kidnapping you! How can you not be angry?!"

"Because, even if it was your fault (which it is not, so don't even go there anymore), I could never be truly mad at you. I seriously doubt you could ever do anything to make someone really mad with you."

He looked away, feeling bad no matter what she said.

"Spence, we're here now. That should be the only thing that matters." She tilted his head towards her, hear index finger under his chin. "Ok?"

He felt something weird inside him as he watched her. Like a flip of the stomach and the rush of blood to the face. He swallowed.

Alice moved her hand away, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. But then, she had to ask. Her need to know over powered her need to make she he wasn't uncomfortable.

"So, have you had any…you know, girlfriends?" she tried to make it sound playful and gossip-like.

He blushed then. "Um, kinda…but, they never really…worked out."

"Oh…"

"What about you?" Spencer found himself asking.

"Um, a few guys…but they didn't work out either…" she lied and hoped he couldn't tell.

"Ah…"

Alice decided she needed to leave now, her feeling beginning to become uncontrollable as she imagined herself kissing him again, his soft lips on hers and his sweet, soft face in her hands. "Um, I think I'll be…going to bed. There's a guest bedroom in the back."

"Alice?"

She stopped reluctantly and turned to see him getting up and walking to her.

"Ok, I can't ignore it anymore…. Did that kiss….from before…" he flinched at the memory. "You weren't telling the truth before, I could tell. Please, don't lie to me… What was that?"

She wasn't looking at him. "I didn't lie, Spence, so just drop it."

"Yes, you did. I'm smart enough as a profiler and a person to see that, I just ignored it before."

"Spence, not now. Can we talk about this tomorrow?" now that she was completely sober and/or not and pain and/or not about to leave her best friend forever, she wasn't totally comfortable with sharing her feelings.

"Alice, you said you loved me…"

Her face was red now. She wished so bad she could come out and say it, but she was scared he didn't feel the same and what they were was just like a friendship to him, or like siblings.

He was standing in front of her now. "Alice, were you saying what I think you were saying when you said that?"

Alice looked at him sideways, a few tears of fear falling. She was just so scared of letting it out and being hurt. Because if anyone could hurt her beyond recovery, it would be him. He had her heart completely and it would be so easy for him to break it.

But she couldn't go on guessing and she knew he wouldn't leave it alone unless he got an answer.

"You have to understand…we were young when we met and my feelings were so messed up and such a bundle of crap, I wasn't able to figure out how I truly felt until it was too late. And then I have no way to see you anymore, not knowing where you are now. I had to deal with my parents for a few yours and once I was free of them, everything slowly came back to me….I dreamt about you a lot of times, just from when we were young." She wiped here eyes. "And only then did I really let myself know how much I cared…I tried to ignore it, thinking I'd never see you again. But I couldn't. God, Spence, I love you more than myself!"

Spencer was so taken aback by that. He just didn't think it was possible for someone to feel that way about him.

"So, yes," she said, still wiping more tears. "I meant what you think I meant when I said…I love you. But…I…think I'll be fine. I mean, I'm sure that now I've seen you again, it will pass. I can just forget about it." She was lying to Spencer and herself. She didn't forget him over these years and she knew she couldn't start now.

"….What if I felt the same…?" Spencer said in a weak, shy voice.

Alice looked at him and his cheeks were red. He watched her as he'd never watched her before, something new building in him as he realized how he felt.

"…Do you feel the same?" she asked hesitantly.

He watched her for a moment before nodded. He realized it now, he'd always loved her. It had never been realized before, because he'd never been ready for it. But he felt he was ready now. He watched her like she was the only thing there, the best thing. And she watched him the same, before closing the space and throwing her arms around his neck, her lips immediately moving with his. Spencer moved his hands to her face, holding it gently as he kissed her back.

They were happy now, in each other's arms. They were safe.

[Well, I hope that ending made everyone happy. I fell happy with it^^ defiantly wish I was my charrie, though…..ANYWAYS, if there are any mess ups, please tell me and if anyone reading this thinks I missed something or should add something in one last chap or not, please tell me, I'd like to hear. If not, I hope you enjoyed my story. Please review!]


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